Why Utah Republicans are sticking to their teacher bonus plan and disregarding Salt Lake City

House and Senate Republicans were notified of the upcoming bonuses at a closed caucus meeting on Tuesday. The plan to potentially take Salt Lake City out of the bonuses stemmed from those talks after members expressed frustration that the district was the only unnecessary return to face-to-face teaching.

House Speaker Brad Wilson, R-Kaysville, says what he heard from his members convinced him that using the bonus money as a carrot and stick was the right move.

“There is deep concern and frustration that the needs of the students in the Salt Lake City School District are not being met,” Wilson said Thursday.

Legislators voted on Wednesday for a one-time $ 1,500 bonus to Utah graduate educators in gratitude for their efforts during the pandemic. But they also added “ intent language ” to the appropriation that excludes teachers and staff in districts that do not offer a personalized classroom option by the time the legislature begins its general assembly on Jan. 19. As it stands, that is only true of schools in Salt Lake City.

Wilson, along with many other lawmakers, thinks the online-only approach is not working, and may be detrimental to students, and he backs up the decision.

“There are districts and teachers in the state who have figured out a way to make this work,” he said.

The bonus money is part of a massive $ 400 million boost in education spending that lawmakers have added to next year’s base budget. If for some reason the legislators are unable to finalize the total budget at the end of the session, or if the governor vetoes the budget before the end of the session, the base budget will remain in place to guarantee financing.

Unless the momentum changes, the matter will land on the desk of elected Spencer Cox government shortly after taking office in January. Legislators must pass basic budget invoices by January 28.

So, where will Cox come from if he holds the bonuses hostage?

A spokesman for Cox declined to comment on Thursday, saying in an email that they would rather “berate” this.

But Cox and his team have not objected to the House leaders.

“I know his staff knew what we are doing, and I had the impression that they were supportive of what we have been doing here in the last 24 hours,” said Wilson. He added that he has not spoken to Cox directly about the matter.

Cox’s public silence could be a strategic calculation. Lawmakers still have to put in place, discuss, and approve the basic budget accounts before going to his desk, and he can bank on one side or the other, which would save him from making a tough decision.

Much of the outrage on the Internet has been prompted by a simple question: is it fair to withhold these bonuses from teachers who have not made the decision to keep classes virtual rather than in person? That decision was made by the school board.

John Caywood, who works as a student support assistant at Wasatch Elementary in Salt Lake City, says teachers who teach virtually work just as hard, if not harder, than they did before the pandemic.

“I see almost all the teachers at one time or another every week, and they seem to spend an awful lot of hours, whether that’s here in the building or if they’re set to do their work from home,” he says. “They are probably working longer hours now than before.”

Caywood understands there is a perception that these teachers somehow have an easier job with no in-person lessons, but he rejects that.

“It’s not like they’ve been able to fly off their responsibility as teachers,” he said. “That’s just not true.”

“I’m currently getting a lot of emails from parents in the Salt Lake City School District thanking us for finally listening to them,” Wilson said. They say their children pay a heavy price. I don’t make decisions based on how much email I receive, but this just confirms that we’re doing the right thing here. “

This bonus controversy is possible in January. The Salt Lake City School District has released a statement saying they are reconsidering their slow adoption of in-person classes in light of vaccine news. Teachers are expected to be able to get the vaccine in mid to late January.

House Minority Leader Brian King, D-Salt Lake City, was one of two Democrats to vote in favor of the measure despite the added provision to withhold the bonuses.

“I think it’s wrong to punish the Salt Lake district because administrators there made a different decision about their education options,” he said. “I thought this was quite heavy-handed. I can think of this as the legislature sending a message. “

However, King said the overall increase in funding for education was important to support.