Mr Barcia,
Even though I am a teacher and will benefit from your increase in pensions you should not be giving teachers any increase until they improve their performance. Why don't you put the money toward finding out how the private schools improve performance without any increases from guys like you.
Don't be kissing up to the MEA now. MI can't afford it. That should be obvious.
Rewarding them only encourages them to continue in the poor perfomance they're into, assuming from you that you approve of what and how they are doing. Do you really feel they are doing a good job. MI public schools are losing students not only to emigrants but to homeschools and private schools because they, without a degree can accomplish a whole lot more than any public school teacher. I would have hoped you would have done more research on this.