A wealthy businessman told me recently that American teachers were paid too much. I said the truth was the opposite. They’re paid far too little. I asked him: “Which is more important, the nation’s financial capital or our human capital?” He said it was our human capital. Then I asked him: “what’s the average pay for those who guide and develop our financial capital, investment bankers and portfolio managers?” He guessed $1,200,000 a year, which isn’t far off. I then asked: “What’s the average pay of those who guide and develop our human capital, America’s teachers?” He guessed $120,000 per year. I told him that, in fact, high school teachers earn an average of $56,260; elementary school teachers, $56,320; and middle school teachers, $56,630.

In other words, investment bankers and portfolio managers are earning about 20 times what teachers are earning. Yet if the nation’s human capital is more important than its financial capital, that ratio is absurd. The law of supply and demand isn’t repealed at the classroom door. If we want talented men and women to become teachers rather than bankers, we need to pay them far more. He nodded, caught in the net of his own logic.

What do you think?

Thank you Glenn Stockton and to all of those who brought desserts.  Thank you also to retirees Tony Manganiello, Jeff Zuckerman, Clare Gorman, Linda Orsenigo, and Marcia Sklar for helping to cook and serve!

Big Brother really is watching. Outrageously, testing giant Pearson is spying on what students are saying on social media.1  

Right now, students in 12 states and the District of Columbia are taking the Common Core-aligned PARCC test. And we’ve just learned that Pearson is monitoring what those students say online for “test security.” 

We’re demanding that Pearson immediately stop monitoring students on social media and disclose any contract language about test security for full public review. Add your name!

This isn’t the first time Pearson has been caught engaging in unscrupulous behavior. Last year,we spoke up when we learned that Pearson’s contract in New York put a gag order2 on educators who proctored the tests, and earlier this year Politico exposed how Pearson has squeezed profits out of our schools, from Florida to Texas to California.3 

Now we find out that the company is actually spying on students—many of whom are minors. It’s one thing to protect intellectual property, but this raises far too many questions.

How is Pearson monitoring students? What information about students does Pearson have, where did it get it, and what will it keep? Is Pearson reviewing everything students post? What protections are there for student privacy? What basis does Pearson use for its searches? Is the monitoring based on general search terms, or is Pearson actively following specific individuals? Who else is Pearson secretly monitoring? 

Pearson must stop monitoring our children and open the books to show us who the company is watching and why.

Even if you don’t live in a PARCC state, we should all be concerned. As the largest for-profit education, testing and book publisher in the world, Pearson is involved in education in nearly every state, with testing contracts in 21 states, plus Washington, D.C., New York City and Puerto Rico. In total, 39 percent of all standardized tests in the United States are run by Pearson.4 

Sadly, all of this comes back to the obsession with high-stakes tests. The results from these tests will be used to punish teachers and schools—and may even be used to hold kids back5—all while Pearson rakes in millions to create and score the tests and spy on our students.

Tell Pearson to stop spying on students and commit to full transparency for all matters related to “test security.”

We learned what Pearson is up to from a leaked email that a New Jersey superintendent sent to her peers after one of her students was flagged for a “Priority 1” breach. To make matters worse, the New Jersey Department of Education wanted the local school to discipline the student.

Parents, students and educators all have a right to know what’s happening. I hope you’ll join us in demanding that Pearson immediately stop monitoring our students and commit to full transparency around its “security” practices.

In unity,

Randi Weingarten
AFT President



[1] Valerie Strauss, “Pearson Monitoring Social Media for Security Breaches during PARCC Testing,” Washington Post, March 14, 2015. 

[2] Michelle Davis, “AFT Goes to England to Protest ‘Gag Order’ on Test Questions,” Education Week, April 28, 2014. 

[3] Stephanie Simon, “No Profit Left Behind,” Politico, February 10, 2015.

[4] Matthew Chingos, Strength in Numbers (Brown Center on Education Policy at Brookings, November 2012).

[5] Molly Callister, “Why Los Angeles Sends Failing Students on to the Next Grade,” Hechinger Report, August 14, 2014.

As you know, the contract the BTA negotiated with the district included an additional $50 paid to the trust on behalf of each teacher.  

For this year only, for teachers only, the Trust Additional Benefit (TAB) will be increased:


Teachers (members of the teachers' bargaining unit of the BTA) will be able to submit an additional $50 worth of expenses to the trust for reimbursement (bringing the total for teachers to $250 (the total for all other members of the trust remains $200).  

The appropriate form is posted on this website under the headline that says Bronxville Trust.

In order to receive this TAB reimbursement, you must incur the charge before June 30 of this year (and you can go back to receipts dating from last July 1).  

The trust will meet again before the end of this school year to generate next year's budget and determine the level of benefits for the 2015-2016 school year.  We are considering some new benefits for all members, examining the usage of the legal services plan, studying out dental and vision benefits, and determining whether we can afford to offer a TAB benefit again.  

Don't forget, we have a legal plan as a benefit of the Trust.  You can get a will, legal advice, handle a closing on a house, etc. as a benefit of the trust.  Use it!

Check with your school building principal to ensure that the list of your class coverages is accurate. 

Also, you must have a uninterrupted, undirected preparation period every day.  You cannot cover a class if doing so would eliminate your only preparation period for the day.  

Middle and high school teachers must cover 4 classes during the school year without receiving compensation.  Elementary teachers must cover 2 classes without receiving compensation.  

Also, if you are a mentor or protege, you do not have to cover classes.  But, if you do, you are compensated every time.