Privatizing services is bad public policy

February 10, 2006

Spectrum\Ronald Rucker

Chief School Administrator Bob Doyle says &#8220Privatizing custodial services is a good idea” in his Spectrum article in the Frontiersman on Feb. 3. In reality, privatizing is bad public policy.

First, it does not necessarily save money. The recent news stories about privatizing of purchasing services for the state ferry system support this statement.

Additionally, most comparisons do not take into account all of the costs associated with a potential changeover to privatization - such as leave buyouts, unemployment insurance and additional costs in other operational areas. And they often do not consider the potential costs incurred when a privatization effort fails, as they normally do.

Second, private contractors and their employees are less accountable to appointed officials, such as the principal and other administrators, and elected officials, such as the school board. Privatization leads to loss of accountability. Worker loyalty shifts to making a profit for shareholders instead of loyalty to the children, staff and the school district.

A contractor's goal is to maximize profits, which often leads to cutting corners on service quality - perhaps by hiring inexperienced, transient personnel at low wages, skimping on contract requirements, or providing inadequate supervision.

Third, it hurts local and state economies by replacing decent paying jobs with lower paying jobs, often filled by workers from outside the local area, and sending profits to corporate leaders and shareholders who live out of the local area and often even out of the state. What value do you place on the safety and security of the students who attend public school in the Mat-Su? What value do you place on the safety and security of the staff that works in public schools in the Mat-Su?

What will be the cost for privatization in three years or for the district to return to providing these services itself? Either one is probably very significant, since there was only one bidder this time, so in all likelihood no competition would exist in three years, and much of the district-owned equipment will require repair and replacement.

Over the last five years, the district has reduced custodial staffing to the point that our custodians are expected to clean between 16 percent and 56 percent more square footage each night than custodians in the other three large school districts in the state. This means, our custodians are expected to clean the equivalent of two 2,400 square foot homes every hour, eight hours a day, five days a week.

Our custodians, current members of the education team, who Mr. Doyle intends to fire and most &#8220graciously” suggests will be hired by the contractor, will make a significantly lower hourly rate, work fewer days in the year, and absorb a huge reduction in their benefits, if they actually qualify for any benefits. Many custodians will not be able to &#8220afford” working for a contractor for 25 percent to 50 percent less than they make now.

Our custodians now only make an average of $24,682 a year. Will they be able to get second jobs to make ends meet? Will they qualify for free or reduced lunches in the schools for their children? Will they have to sell their homes? Will they have to move from the Valley?

Our custodians are your neighbors and friends. They have earned our trust and support. They are important members of the education team and provide a safe, clean educational environment. They are respected and valuable members of the education family.

When district officials decided this was a good idea, they did not talk to staff members, site managers, students, parents or the community in general. They made a decision on their own, and that is bad public policy.

Call school board members before the Feb. 15 board meeting, or come to that meeting, which starts at 6 p.m. at Palmer High School, and tell them what you think about this proposed action.

Ronald C. Rucker is the

president of the Classified Employees' Association, the union that represents custodians and other school district support staff.