Daily Herald Editorial

A school employee pay freeze handed down from the state government is a bad idea. While there may — or may not — be merit in a pay freeze, the last thing Minnesota needs is big government taking over decisions that should be made locally.

Teachers’ unions, not surprisingly, have argued hard against the Senate bill that would freeze their pay, as it would that of other public school employees. Oddly, however, the state School Boards Association favors the plan. That is, on the surface, odd because the MSBA has often argued that the state should not tell local school boards how to conduct their business. But apparently school board members don’t mind state control when it takes a hard decision out of their hands.

It is unfortunate that MSBA has taken the easy route on this issue, because even if it is convenient for schools to be told that they can not pay more, it sets a horrible precedent. In general, Minnesota schools do a good job of understanding local needs and issues, and of making wise plans to address them. What they pay teachers and other staff is no different, because the state has absolutely no idea which districts ought to freeze pay and which have, perhaps, held the line for years and now truly need to provide raises.

The pay freeze plan, which is fortunately still a ways from becoming law, is part of the Republican-controlled Legislature’s disappointingly piecemeal approach to budget cuts and, like other measures offered this year, seems to be more grandstanding than serious legislation. Nevertheless, the risk exists that this bad bill might become law.

We hope enough lawmakers — and the governor — recognize this risk and will work to stop the bill.