Hearings begin between Hillsborough Co. teachers and district

TAMPA (FOX 13) - In front of a special magistrate, arguments were held Monday over teacher pay in Hillsborough County. 

Stephanie Baxter-Jenkins has been fighting for teachers. As the executive director the teachers union, she says the district hasn't been forthcoming about pay raises. 

"That is a purposeful choice as to whether you try to cloud the issues and not be honest with your employees," said Baxter-Jenkins.

The Hillsborough County School Board says it cannot afford giving a $4,000 pay raise to a third of its employees. It offered a one-time bonus package of $1.8 million, equaling a $92 raise per employee, which of course, did not sit well with the union or teachers.

"We didn't even get our raise last year until January when the year was already half way over," said Ryan Haczynksi, an international baccalaureate teacher at Strawberry Crest High School. 

The back-and-forth between the district and union has sparked protests in recent months. 

While the school board cannot comment because of the ongoing hearings, it has remained conscious of its reserves. Dwindling down that account could affect the district's credit ratings, meaning in the future, it wouldn't get the money to build new schools or for other improvements.  

The union says it will lose out in other ways, though. 

"Not doing right by our teachers is putting us behind," said Baxter-Jenkins. "That's a problem. It's not going to allow us to retain great people here." 

"At a bare minimum, I would hope that the teachers all get their year of experience and those people who are supposed to go up for their contractually obligated salary increase gets that," said Haczynski. 

Another hearing will take place Wednesday. Even after that it could take the magistrate a month before he gives his recommendation to the school board.