SPRINGFIELD, Oregon—Teachers’ jobs and salaries are often on the cutting block during tough economic times. Jerry Caruthers, executive director of the Oregon Education Association (OEA), the largest educators’ union in the state, strives to protect educators and core public education services from "knee-jerk reactions" during economic crises.

"Every district is different," he says, "but just because most of its budget goes to staffing doesn’t mean a district should rush to cut staff and critical programs before considering other options." During shortfalls, Caruthers says districts should scrutinize their budgets for cost-saving measures. Working collaboratively with the teachers' union is a great method for conducting that process. "Our members understand the nature of the crisis," says Caruthers. "They are concerned citizens who are willing to work through whatever needs to be done to educate students in this environment."

Contrary to what some critics say, Caruthers maintains that unions are not hindered by their contracts from seeking creative solutions through collaboration with district leaders. But union members will object to unilateral district action, says Caruthers, and to shouldering the full burden of the crisis without a careful review of other choices.

Gail Rasmussen, president of OEA since this past July, says it's helpful to remember that school and district employees are also community members. "Our union members have a vested interest in what happens in their communities. We're not only employees, but community members and parents. We believe that it's our goal and responsibility to provide the best public education that we can for our children."

Especially during these tenuous times, both the union and the district share responsibility for providing employees with accurate information about fiscal issues. Rasmussen says transparency on all sides is critical, as is working together. "Many of our districts benefit from a highly collaborative relationship with their associations," she says, adding that it is especially important, during difficult fiscal times, to make sure classified nonteaching staff, are included in discussions where critical information is shared or decided. "We tend to forget the value and stability provided by support staff, many of whom have at least as much, if not more, firsthand knowledge of the students than their teacher colleagues."

Both Rasmussen and Caruthers point out that investing in public education is key to Oregon's economic recovery and long-term economic health. "When we invest in our education system, then we are investing in the state's future," says Rasmussen.

However, this is not the first time Oregon has faced a state budget shortfall. By focusing on the current economic crisis, Caruthers feels we risk losing sight of the real problem in Oregon. "For the last four decades, we've experienced these economic downturns at certain times. They have all caused serious problems. This is because our state revenue system doesn't work. We need tax reform. But so far, no one has had the tenacity or the foresight to look long term at how Oregon can be more responsive to its education needs. We always seem to be in a position of catch-up or trying to sustain our current offerings rather than looking to provide a higher quality education for all our students."

Five years ago, Caruthers worked in Virginia to build a coalition for tax reform. The resulting reforms created an additional $1.6 billion for public education every year. It took three years of hard work to accomplish the changes, with much of the focus on educating the public about the need for revenue reform. "I think we have to do that in Oregon," says Caruthers. "It’s a big responsibility, but this issue will not be decided by the legislature. It needs to be decided by the public. It needs to be based on a belief that all children deserve a quality education. It will take bipartisanship and cooperation from business people, politicians, union members, and school leaders. But I’m hopeful for Oregon."

The Oregon Education Association represents approximately 47,000 educators working in prekindergarten through grade 12 public schools and community colleges. OEA's membership includes licensed teachers and specialists, classified/education support professionals (ESPs), community college faculty, retired educators, and student members. OEA members are also part of the 3.2 million membership of the National Education Association (NEA).