The Granite Education Association, the maverick chapter of the state's largest teachers union that walked out of school last February to protest state funding, will not join a statewide teachers strike if one is called Thursday afternoon.

"We're not the only ones," said GEA executive director Pat Arakaki. In a Wednesday meeting of the Utah Education Association, 4,000 teachers statewide said they would not support a job action, she said.

"We participated in a walkout last winter," Arakaki said. "The timing isn't right. We need to wait until the Legislature is in session."

The 19,000-member UEA has threatened a job action should the Funding of Public Education Task Force put forth an unacceptable plan to better fund schools.

UEA officials have said a legitimate plan would contain more than one new money source and a backup plan, among other criteria.

Tuesday, the task force of political heavy hitters completed its work. It recommended the state give $30.6 million to replace crumbling and outdated textbooks and put 495,000 additional needed books on school shelves. It also recommended putting $10 million of money already earmarked for schools toward building needs and notching up state matching dollars for school districts that raise property taxes, among other potential money sources.

UEA leaders declined to comment on the task force's work, saying it would wait until after the Education Interim Committee weighed the task force's recommendations on Thursday. But it has said parents will be notified in the event of a job action. Granite schools closed during that union's job action earlier this year.

The Education Interim Committee heard opening statements of the task force's proposal at press time Thursday. Co-chairman and House Majority Leader Kevin Garn, R-Layton, said he was puzzled why the state's commitment to schools was being questioned when schools receive nearly half of all state money and got a 5.5 percent increase in the per-student funding formula earlier this year.

The union's strike threat hovered over the meeting. And while some school officials interviewed said they understand the teachers' angst, they did not support a job action.

"I think it is a little premature," said Karen Derrick, a legislative chairwoman for the Utah School Boards Association and member of the Salt Lake City Board of Education. The Salt Lake board will close schools in the event of a job action.

"This (task force action) is just recommending bills to the Legislature. Opportunities to make some changes are still on the horizon in the legislative session. We need to work together to make changes. I feel this (threat of a strike) is controversial and confrontational, and it's ultimately the kids who will suffer."

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State Board of Education president Jill Kennedy said she sympathized with the teachers, considering she works as a guidance counselor at West High School.

"I'm really disappointed in the funding task force in what they came out with," Kennedy said, adding the plan does nothing to address how much money schools need to accomplish goals. "I have sympathy with the teachers. But I don't think a job action would be particularly productive."

The Utah PTA is neutral on the issue and won't man classrooms should teachers walk out.


E-mail: jtcook@desnews.com

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