Chardon Schools Board of Education members were criticized Monday night for failing to negotiate a “fair and equitable” contract with teachers.
High school math teacher Scott Brown said the Chardon Education Association, which represents the district’s teachers, designated him to express its “deep disappointment” with the results of a Dec. 5 bargaining session with the board.
Brown’s comments came during a public participation session at the end of Monday’s meeting held in the Chardon Middle School’s Large Group Instruction Room.
Several dozen teachers rose from their seats as he spoke.
After making his comments, Brown told the Geauga County Maple Leaf the board offered a “zero percent” pay increase to make up for the lack of general pay increases the union had agreed to over the last several years.
“We had hoped to be here tonight to thank the board for a fair and equitable contract,” he told the board. “Instead, we are here shaking our heads in disbelief at the board’s unwillingness to give the members of the Chardon Education Association a contract that reflects the dedication of the membership and the excellence their efforts have afforded the Chardon school district.”
He noted the union had helped subsidize the district financially by accepting pay freezes and contract rollovers prior to the passage of a 5.9-mill levy in November.
In addition, he said union members worked with the school board to help pass a levy in order “to preserve the excellence we have achieved in Chardon.”
When teachers show dedication in their daily work, or when they recall their “heroic response” during the Feb. 27, 2012, high school shootings, “they see professionalism and dedication that deserves and demands a fair and equitable contract,” Brown said.
The future of the district and its teachers is in the hands of the board and its negotiation efforts, he said.
“Do we continue the success we have achieved for our students and community? It is up to you,” Brown said, looking at the board.
In speaking to the board, he asked, “If we lose our most valuable resource — the dedicated staff — because this board will not provide a competitive work environment, what accomplishments will we have to showcase in the future?”
The choice is the board’s, he said.
In closing, Brown again called for the board to ratify a fair and equitable contract when negotiations resume next month.
“Anything seen as less will not be accepted,” he warned.
Many young teachers are looking to leave the school district for better paying teaching jobs, Brown told the Geauga County Maple Leaf afterward.
In response, board President Karen Blankenship confirmed the board is in the process of contract negotiations with teachers.
As such, she said it would be improper to comment publicly on the collective bargaining efforts.
Some parents voiced support for a teachers’ pay raise during a public comment session at the close of the meeting while others were critical of their effort.
Among them was Chardon Township Trustee Chuck Strazinsky Jr., who has a daughter in the school district.
He noted one objective of the recently passed school levy is to provide money for the restoration of elective classes that were eliminated in prior budget cuts, thereby reducing the number of study halls used to fill class voids.
“Not many people have gotten raises over the last four years,” Strazinsky said. “Here we are just passing a levy and here we (teachers) are already asking for a raise.”
Although the poor economy has been a hardship for most taxpayers, taxes have gone up while revenue has declined, Strazinsky said.
The board and the union need to make sure academic cuts are restored and study halls reduced before the school staff is given raises, he said.
Another parent emailed the Geauga County Maple Leaf on Tuesday to report the CEA had invoked “work to rule,” a job action in which employees do no more than the minimum required by the rules of a workplace in order to cause a slowdown.
“It is a shame that the teachers pushed so hard for the levy claiming ‘this is for the kids’ and the first thing they do is initiate a slowdown,” the parent said.
But Jay Taylor, a Chardon Township parent, expressed support for union members.
“You get what you pay for,” he said. “If you don’t pay the teachers a working wage competitive with other school districts, then you’ll have a situation where teachers really won’t care about what they do.”
Chardon Schools are noted for providing a good education because of its teachers. These teachers deserve a raise because of wage sacrifices they have made in previous years, Taylor said.
Other parents who didn’t comment during the meeting spoke to the Geauga Maple County Maple Leaf afterward, but asked to remain anonymous.
One woman suggested phasing in raises over the next three years, giving teachers a possible 1 percent to 1.5 percent raise annually.
“That’s important, but what’s more important is restoring good, solid academics for our kids and protecting their future education,” she said. “This is what I and most people voted for, not big raises, at least not right now.”
Another parent said he would support the CEA’s demands if the economy were better.
“I haven’t gotten more in the last four years and I help pay their salary through my taxes,” he said. “They need to realize that and that there probably are many good teachers out of work who would gladly come here.”