Hopes were lifted, then quickly dashed when Brevard Schools Superintendent Mark Mullins nudged the district’s teacher salary offer up by only $330 on Monday, a move unlikely to resolve a seven-month labor impasse.
On the defensive and hoping to quell the escalating dispute, Mullins spoke briefly before a dozen media outlets, releasing a written statement detailing the proposal and describing the year of negotiations as “not what either party desired or originally anticipated. I recognize the turmoil this process has created for our teachers and organization as a whole.’’
After a magistrate recommended the district use reserve cash to fund a $2,300 raise this year for “highly effective” rated teachers, instead of the $770 offered by the district, Mullins countered with $330 more for a total of $1,100. Effective-rated teachers would get $850 under the Mullins’ proposal, with exceptional education teachers getting a $1,000 supplement.
The Brevard Federation of Teachers’ union was “greatly disappointed,” calling the move by Mullins a ploy to manipulate school board members’ upcoming votes on the $2,300 recommendation. “Teachers will not be fooled by moving a few hundred dollars from a bonus to a recurring amount while the magistrate noted that the district could afford over twice that amount and that doing so would be in the best interests of students,” BFT President Anthony Colucci said.
Three days before Mullins beckoned the media to Viera for “a major announcement that directly affects the quality of Brevard Public Schools,” it was student protesters who had all the cameras on them.
Chants of “Better pay, teachers stay!” and “Students care, too!” rang throughout the Avenue Viera and filled the streets last Friday as more than 200 students, parents and teachers marched to district headquarters.
“We found out the decision was going to the School Board, we wanted to remind them that students and parents care about how much teachers are paid as well,” said organizer Hayden Mucha, an eighth-grader at McNair Magnet Middle student. Mucha and classmate Addisyn Thurn mobilized supporters via social media.
Colucci said the issue taught an important, real-world civics lesson: “We’re teaching kids to rally, to organize and support a cause that is important to them, which is the essence of democracy.
Julie Wilder, a parent and Ocean Breeze Elementary teacher, expressed sheer pride in the young people. “It just lets you know that as teachers, you are valued – at least by the students.”
Wilder is worried about teachers leaving or working multiple jobs. She marched alongside her son and daughter, Ethan and Anna Wilder. “They see how much goes into it (teaching) beyond the typical eight-hour school day” she said.
A 2019 West Shore Junior-Senior High graduate and now a Florida Gator, Anna Wilder recently said from the School Board podium, “I have seen my mom work day after day, putting her heart and soul into her work and not just for [me] but her own students.”
Mucha echoed concerns about teacher turnover. “It’s not only affecting their personal lives, but it’s affecting our education as well,” he said. “If we give (teachers) a raise, we could get more teachers coming here and be able to retain them.”
“If we don’t have the best educators in front of us, how can we be expected to go off and do great things?” Anna Wilder said.
Brevard teacher salaries, on average, lag more than $2,000 behind their Florida peers, according to the Florida Department of Education. The new $330 Mullins proposed would not close that deficit much.
“The school district likes to recognize kids for science and arts but we need to recognize these kids for their activism in caring about their public schools,” Colucci said. BPS said Mullins’ small concession was not in response to the student protest, that it was in the works for weeks.
Despite the circumstances, the protest brought a sense of hope to students. “We’re extremely proud of the turnout,” Thurn said, encouraging others toward social activism. “If you see something wrong, do something about it.”
Another, larger demonstration is planned for Monday before the School Board meeting. “We are looking forward to our rally on the 24th where thousands of teachers will watch to see if the school board members will also act against the best interest of students as well,” Colucci said after Mullins’ announcement.
Reporter Jan Wesner Childs contributed to this report.
