What are they thinking? That's what I want to know.
The Brighton school board, that is.
Members of the Brighton Education Association, in an article in the Livingston Press and Argus in editions for Tuesday (January 22, 2008), make a good case for being unhappy with the Brighton school board over the lack of progress in contract negotiations.
Teachers have been working without a contract since August. Negotiators for teachers thought they were close to a deal in December that included savings for the district, but in January the board came back and asked for more.
On top of the article, the newspaper included an editorial complaining about the failure to settle spring break dates so that parents could plan vacations. With no contract, the board can't set the dates.
Then the editorial notes:
"It's been working this way: The district and teachers have not been able to agree on a new pact this year, so some teachers have adopted the position of meeting only the minimum job requirements in the contract. They seem to hope that if they tick off the parents in the district enough, the parents will yell at the school board, which will then settle the teachers' contract by giving them what they want. We're disappointed that the school board has been letting the BEA get away with this."
Well, why isn't the newspaper disappointed that the school board has been treating its employees with such disregard? Why is it only the teachers' fault?
As for settling the contract by giving teachers "what they want," teachers don't want givebacks, but they were willing to accept them in December. How about a little recognition of the sacrifices teachers are willing to accept?
The news article contained no comment from the board's negotiators, who were unavailable. They should be available today. I hope there's a follow-up article in tomorrow's newspaper explaining the board's foot-dragging on the contract.
But that's probably like hoping Michigan's spring comes in February.
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