Tell School Board Livable Wage Now

Currently, there are many instructional assistant and paraeducators, custodians and food service workers who are paid poverty level wages in the Burlington Schools. For the last several years there has been a strong push to have the Burlington Schools join the City of Burlington and make it a policy that no employee should be paid less than a livable wage. Last year, the Burlington School Board voted 5-7 against adopting a livable wage policy. At that time several leaders of the School Board who voted against establishing a livable wage policy said they supported livable wages, but thought it should be dealt with in 2007 when the contracts for all of the low-paid support staff were to be negotiated.

Important Discussion

With the campaign to establish Socio-Economic Integration in our elementary schools, the Burlington School Board has initiated a very important community-wide discussion about the impacts of poverty on students and basic principles of social equity. Yet at this same time, they continue to pay many of its own staff poverty wages.

The Time for Livable Wages is Now

Please join us in telling the School Board the time for livable wage jobs is now. It is time to make it a priority that every Burlington School support staff worker receives livable wages starting this Fall.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Time for Livable Wages is Now

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

We, the undersigned citizens and taxpayers call on the Burlington School District Administration and School Board to provide livable wages for all Burlington School support staff.

It is unacceptable to be paying any employee poverty wages and perpetuating poverty in this community. The time is now for Burlington Schools to recognize the contribution of every paraeducator, food service worker and custodian to adopt principle and policy of livable wages for every district employee.

Signed by:

Campaign Launched:
May 17, 2007

Background Information

Currently, there are many instructional assistant and paraeducators, custodians and food service workers who are paid poverty level wages in the Burlington Schools. No worker should earn less than a livable wage, especially not the people who make our schools run, and as is the case of paraeducators and many school support staff, play a critical role in the education of our youth.
The time is now: For the last several years there has been a strong push to have the Burlington Schools join the City of Burlington and make it a policy that no employee should be paid less than a livable wage. Last year, the Burlington School Board voted 5-7 against adopting a livable wage policy. At that time several leaders of the School Board who voted against establishing a livable wage policy said they supported livable wages, but they thought it should wait until this year when the contracts for all of the low-paid support staff were to be negotiated. Now is the time to stop poverty wages in our schools.
With the campaign to establish Socio-Economic Integration in our elementary schools, the Burlington School Board has initiated a very important community-wide discussion about the impacts of poverty on students and basic principles of social equity. Yet at this same time, they continue to pay many of its own staff poverty wages. The reason that there is a growing number of children coming from families living in poverty is because a growing number of the jobs available pay poverty wages. Burlington Schools should immediately stop being one of these poverty-wage employers and help set a standard for other area employers so fewer families are living in poverty.
In the Equity & Excellence presentation at the May 8th School Board Meeting and available on their website, Superintendent Jeannie Collins states that we should celebrate our diversities, including our socio-economic diversity. While it is, of course, critical for us to celebrate and respect the ethnic, racial and cultural diversity in our communities, poverty is not something to be celebrated, but eliminated. Burlington Schools needs start being a leader to eliminate poverty by stopping pay poverty wages.