OXNARD : Court Awards Back Pay to 19 Teachers

The state Court of Appeal sided with 19 teachers Wednesday, ruling that they should share back pay of at least $20,000 from the Oxnard Elementary School District.

In 1985-86, a new salary schedule was implemented in the district under which teachers were divided into 12 instead of 10 different salary groups based on their education and teaching experience.

But extra costs were incurred by adding the two categories, so the school district and the Oxnard Educators Assn. agreed to freeze the yearly salary increase of half the teachers in certain categories until the following year, and the other half’s salaries the next year, said David Miller, school district counsel.

But 114 of the teachers considered the one-year freeze unfair and filed suit.

The court sided with 19 of the teachers because they were put on lower salary levels than teachers with less experience and education.

But lower court decisions were not reversed for the 95 other cases because they were put in proper categories.

Assistant Supt. Kent Patterson said Thursday he could not comment on the appellate court ruling because he had not received a copy of the decision.

Miller said he has not had a chance to review the decision and could not comment.