Most of the candidates for Carroll County School Board supported the idea of paying teachers performance bonuses. One, however, was strongly opposed.
“It?s a hideous idea,” said George Maloney, whodisagreed with the concept.
“We need to reward our teachers, but not with merit pay.”
Maloney said merit pay would create undo competition between teachers and divisive relationships.
The debate over merit pay for county teachers was raised at a candidate forum where four of the eight candidates attended. They are competing for five seats on the school board in the September primary.
Candidates Maloney, Gary Bauer, Patricia Gadberry and Eric Weber attended. Ernest Sharff, Barbara Shreeve, Dan Dekowski and Dave Roush did not attend the forum, which was hosted by the League of Women Voters and held Wednesday at Carroll Community College.
On Tuesday, Gov. Robert Ehrlich proposed a plan to establish a new compensation system statewide to better reward outstanding teachers.
The rest of the candidates at the forum supported the idea of rewarding teachers based on certain criteria.
Weber said the compensation package for public school teachers hasn?t kept pace with rising inflation. Merit pay would be a good way to properly reward teachers.
Incumbent Bauer said he was also a proponent of merit pay, but the board would have to work closely with teachers? organizations to determine an effective scale for evaluation, whether bonuses are based on accreditation, additional education or student performance.
Gadberry, who is also running for re-election, agreed with the need for caution.
“We have to be careful in how it?s evaluated, so it won?t cause undo friction between teachers,” she said
She said the issue hasn?t come up to the board yet, but board members will likely need to look at it in the near future.
Shreeve said she didn?t have a view on the issue, but that it should be investigated.
Dekowski said it was “a great idea.”
He said the compensation systemmay create some friction between teachers, but “it will also make people aware they need to improve.”
“I am not sympathetic to the idea that everyone should get paid the same amount when some people work harder,” Dekowski said.
Sharff also supported merit pay, and Roush could not be reached for comment.
