State Rules Make Teachers Take Home Less Pay And Gain More Expenses

The changes will impact affect all state employees

By Venton Blandin

Teachers may decide to leave the classroom because they just can't afford to stay. Educators will soon take home less pay and shell out more for their employee benefits.
The Alabama Education Association and Huntsville City School Board thinks the changes are a big blow to teachers and others workers in school systems statewide.
All state employees will soon have to contribute more of their salary to the state and pay even more for health insurance if they are under 65 years old.  We talked with some state employees in the education community.
Those who work for Huntsville City Schools will have to give up 2.5 percent more of their salary later this year. The money will go into the state's retirement fund.
"It's a pay cut because that is not going to be in their check," said Alabama Education Association Spokesman Rex Cheatham.
Those under age 65 will also shell out more to stay healthy.  An increase in their health care coverage takes effect on January 1, 2012. The increases mean less money to take home, and the AEA worries some teachers will quit.
"Students are going to lose outstanding educators from all over the state of Alabama who have training, knowledge, and all these years of experience," added Cheatham.
"We have been warned that a lot of teachers may decide this is too much of a decrease in their pay," said Huntsville City School Board President Topper Birney.
No one associated with the school system wants to see a good amount of experience go away, but they understand plenty of teachers may decide to leave the classroom.
Birney is looking ahead.
"I'd like to be positive. We may open the door for some of the young teachers fresh out of school who will come in with new ideas and lots of energy," said Birney.
There's a group effort to get the effective date for some of this changed to July 1, 2012. Education supporters say classrooms won't be disrupted as much if things go into effect at that time.
The state has a calculator to help you figure out how your paycheck will be impacted by the changes. You can find it by clicking here.