Teachers union questions board's sense of equality

The Orland Teachers Association president suggested to the school board that teachers are being treated unfairly.

In her report at Thursday's Orland Unified School District board meeting, Becky Brummet complained that word is out that the district office has hired additional staff and that Superintendent Chris von Kleist asked for a raise.

Prior to the meeting, she said she got the information from "a reliable source," but did not say who it was.

"We are concerned about finances?" she told board members. "Teachers are getting significantly less for supplies" and buying them out of their own pockets.

Brummet also said salaries are down, class sizes are up and a photocopy limit has been placed on teachers.

"We were all supposed to face this (budget) crisis together and we hope we all stay together," she said.

During his report, von Kleist explained that district employees have been shuffled around and the only new hire replaced the executive secretary, who retired last year.

He told board members, the position was filled at 61⁄2 hours a day rather than eight hours, which the previous secretary worked, thus saving the district money.

"There's been a lot of internal shifting," he said, explaining that, for example, the former accounts payable clerk became food services director and her replacement came from within the district.

He also noted that because the school board has done such an effective job, all district employees — including teachers — got a 2 percent raise effective July 1.

"We're one of the few districts with a balanced budget," von Kleist said.

He told the board he would not "address the other matter," referring to Brummet's comment about his own request for a raise.

But after the meeting, he said he has not asked for a raise.

Friday, board member Vangie Porras said because that is a personnel matter, she would only say that "his contract is always negotiable."

Board member Ben Kraemer said there have been discussions regarding the board wanting to increase von Kleist's pay, but he did not say von Kleist asked for a raise.

"We've been talking to him about it for six months," he said.

"If we could find the money, I would give him a raise in a heartbeat. He's underpaid," Kraemer said, noting that the board "is having him do a salary survey of superintendents around the area.

Kraemer also said von Kleist has received "some fantastic offers that he turned down because of his loyalty to the district."

In another piece of business, the board approved switching part-time Assistant Superintendent Armand Brett from employee status to a consulting agreement.

Brett works half time and makes half — about $62,000 — the fulltime salary, von Kleist explained.

He said putting Brett on a consulting agreement will save the district money, because it no longer will be responsible for costs such unemployment insurance, social security and others normally associated with employees.

Brett will bill the district for 17 half days a months, according to von Kleist.

Contact Lydia Harris at

934-6800 or 865-3110 or lharris@tcnpress.com.