A Pyrrhic Victory
October 2006
As the District seeks to exact its pound of
flesh at the negotiating table, its leadership would be well-advised to
recall the story of Pyrrhus, the Greek king of Epirus.
Pyrrhus led several
military campaigns against Rome, joining with other Greek states. In 279
B.C., he defeated a Roman army at Ausculum, and though it was a significant
victory, he sustained such heavy casualties that the strength of his army
was seriously compromised. When asked about the battle he replied, "One more
such victory and we are lost."
For even if the District is successful in
wringing its desired concessions from the teachers (though we remain
confident that the wisdom of our position will prevail), it will be a
victory won at a significant cost.
The most important casualty of the current
dispute and impending impasse is the spirit of cooperation and good will
that has bound the GCTA and the District. While the relationship between
any central administration and faculty is inherently adversarial, in recent
years the teachers could usually rely on a basic level of respect and
appreciation from District leadership. However, with each day that we labor
without a contract, held hostage over issues that the District itself admits
are not of fundamental importance, there is a growing sense that we no
longer enjoy the esteem we once did. In addition, the cause of the current
impasse, which Board President Ken Monaghan describes as, “work role
related”, is seen by many as an implicit criticism of our professional
judgment. “If the District respected how we currently use our professional
time” they point out, “they wouldn’t be trying to impose new restrictions”.
The collective effect of this is a palpable drop in faculty morale.
While some might dismiss employee morale as
inconsequential, it has a profound effect, not just on how people perform at
work, but perhaps more importantly, whether they remain at a particular
workplace. While none of us would ever consider doing anything less than
our utmost to ensure our students’ success, even if it means continuing to
go well above and beyond what our contract mandates, there are innumerable
little “favors” that faculty perform regularly for the District. Whether it
be serving on any of the myriad committees at every level, or emceeing a pep
rally, GCTA members give freely and often of their own time. Given the
current level of disillusionment, it is not hard to imagine many members
reconsidering such volunteerism. Additionally, although teachers are not
generally the migratory type, the recent departure of a number of long-time
District employees, should give the leadership some pause.
One of the hallmarks of GCTA members is not
just our devotion to our students, but to the district as a whole. The
District leadership must consider whether it is so committed to the changes
it is currently seeking to impose, that it is willing to risk destroying
this. Like Pyrrhus, they may find that “winning” may leave the victor even
more damaged than the vanquished.