MUSKEGON — The Reeths-Puffer school district in Muskegon had
been giving serious consideration to outsourcing all three of its major
non-instructional school services: busing (see story directly below), food and
custodial service. The changes were intended to help balance the district’s 2007 fiscal year budget.
The agreement provided budget savings that made privatization unnecessary.
In April, the district’s board of education voted unanimously
to privatize its custodial services. According to television station WZZM,
nearly 500 people attended the board meeting, many in opposition to the change.
As the meeting concluded, many in the audience chanted, "shame on you" to board
members. For their safety, board members were escorted from the school
auditorium by police officers.
The Reeths-Puffer school board efforts have been an ongoing story in West Michigan.
On Feb. 14, The Muskegon Chronicle reported that
Superintendent Steve Cousins confirmed that all three services were potential
candidates for privatization. The hope was that savings from competitive
contracting could help the district reduce an $830,000 deficit. The district
currently employs 92 bus drivers, custodians and cafeteria staff.
In a March 15 letter from the Reeths-Puffer Board of
Education to the local community, the board detailed tough fiscal problems
facing the district and stated that it was considering outsourcing custodial and transportation services to save money. The letter also contained a table of
financial data showing the current hourly rate in salary and benefits for
district custodians ($31.52); what the union wanted ($31.83); the board’s offer
($26.77); and what the district would pay if the work were contracted out
($16.42). The letter said that outsourcing was a viable option to save money and avoid program cuts.
The privatization debate has not been without rancor, some of
which appeared to be highly organized. One unique perspective that arose during
the debate was that immigrants who were unfamiliar with the English language
would be hired as replacement bus drivers.
The March 21 edition of The Muskegon Chronicle reported that
the March board meeting featured one parent who said, "We all know what happens
when you outsource. It will be hard for me to communicate with my daughter’s bus driver if they speak a different language."
These exact sentiments were repeated and amplified by state
Rep. Doug Bennett who represents the area. The story, explained in detail by the
Michigan Education Digest, is worth retelling here:
Several hundred people protested before the meeting, and a
uniformed police officer was needed, The [Muskegon] Chronicle reported. Michigan Education Association President Iris Salters attended the rally and told the protestors to "hang tough," according to The Chronicle. Also at the rally, state Rep. Doug Bennett, D-Muskegon, said school districts in West Michigan would get rid of "everyone you trust," and give the jobs to "illegal immigrants," by privatizing custodians and bus drivers, The Chronicle reported.
Bennett was heard to tell Kathie Oakes of the teachers union,
"We all know what’s going to happen – they are going to hire illegal immigrants
to fill the jobs," according to The Chronicle. The newspaper said Bennett
attempted to clarify his remarks when he realized a Chronicle reporter was
standing next to Oakes.
The Chronicle said Bennett explained himself by saying
Holland, home of Enviro-Clean, also is home to many illegal immigrants. The
Chronicle also reported that Bennett repeated his remarks to the entire crowd a
few minutes later and was met with a "somewhat muted response."
Reeths-Puffer and several other Muskegon County schools still
are considering a move to privatize bus drivers as a way to save more money, The Chronicle reported.
"Very few districts in the state have private contractors
working in all three of the major non-instructional service areas," said Michael LaFaive, senior editor of Michigan Privatization Report. LaFaive is the
co-author of a 2005 survey which found that only two of Michigan’s school
districts contract for busing, cafeteria and custodial services at the same
time.
In June, the district reached a tentative agreement with the
bargaining groups for its transportation, food and maintenance services. The
proposed agreement included $144,000 in financial concessions.
