The union times., 1947-10-25
Union Teachers
 Ask Mayor For Secret Ballot
Believe City Teachers Not Satisfied With Salary
 Schedule

Nc INeW T1AVen EeUcTAt1On OI Teachers, Local 933, has formally requested Mayor William C. Celen- tano to hold secret ballot among the city's teachers on whether or not they favor the salary schedule presented by the School Survey. Following is the text of a memoran- dunn presented to the Mayor by Miss Viola Gradeck, president of the Union, and by Miss Ruth M. Sugenheimer, its treasurer:
 sSThe New Haven Federation of Teachers is convinced that the Edu- cational System of New Haven has taken a backward rather than a forward step in the adoption of the salary schedule presented by the School Survey.
 Tt is not a new idea, to try to i'm pose on a group of teachers salary schedule with extraneous means of rating, such as community service, travel, committee work. and the talk ing of courses. As school systems have become more democratic and more progressive they have discarded such schedules. They have not proven suc- cessful anywhere.
 ALARMING SCHEDULE"
 "We had hoped, with the coming of the School Survey that the best ideas in education would be recom- mended. We have been sorely disap- pointed in the type of salary schedule adopted
 ''Not only should this schedule be alarming to the teachers of New Haven, but teachers in neighboring cities and towns have just cause for concern, when a city like New Haven adopts such a policy.
 "On June 2Oth, MT. Louis Green berg, President of the Connecticut State Federation of Teachers, ad- dressed letter to the, Board of Edu- cation and also sent a copy to your Honor, which said in part:
 "'The stipulation that the annual in crement must be earned by taking accredited courses is an insult to the professional integrity of the New Haven teachers. Under the pro- posed system, study ceases to be sign of merit and becomes a sign of greed. ;. Given the ability, personality, and training, experience and the desire for excellence in the practitioner himself are the only factors in professional growth.
 "'We are constrained to inter- vene with this petition because we fear that the effect of the adoption of the Surveys recommendations would be extremely harmful to all efforts to improve education in Nlis State'.a
 Some would say that the teachers themselves voted for this schedule. We contend that the vote was not a true and legal expression of the teachers inasmuch as the standing vote, in the presence of principals and after a threat had been made that if we don't take this, we may not get anything constituted intimidation.
 Corporation Council DiCenzo, the last time we appeared before your Honor, was most careful to insure the policemen against intimidation on the matter of dues check-off, by in sisting of a secret ballot. No such caution was taken in connection with the teachers vote.
 Therefore, being confident that the teachers of New Haven are not satisfied with their salary schedule for the following reasons: s(1) forced in-service training as basis for increments; CD the length of time required for teachers now at maximum to reach the new maxi mum. (3) the length of time re- quired for beginning teacher to reach maximum and (4) the fact that it is not single salary sched- ule, (two maxima $S,4OO and $4, ,lOO) we petition your Honor to conduct a ballot of the teachers of New Haven through your office, on this matter.
 If as we hope, you believe that a satisfied corps of teachers is the first requisite of good school system, we feel certain that you will comply with our very reasonable request"