Claremont
The new schedule, referred to as “A/B block,” was implemented in September, despite opposition from teachers and the arbitrator’s first ruling.
“As stated in the first arbitration decision dated June 29, 2015, the School Board violated the agreement and side agreement attached to the parties’ collective bargaining agreements,” arbitrator Gary Altman wrote in a ruling dated April 4, according to a statement released by Sugar River Education Association President Tammy Lynn Yates.
Altman’s decision further said the remedy is to revert to the previous schedule at the start of the next school year in September. It is not clear what 8 percent of teachers’ salaries equates to in dollars.
Yates said in her statement Tuesday that the dispute easily could have been avoided had the School Board and administration listened when the teachers twice voted against the schedule.
“The district could have worked with the SREA to develop a schedule that the teachers believed would be beneficial to the students. The district decided to move forward with the A/B block schedule anyway,” Yates wrote.
She further noted that after the arbitrator first ruled in favor of the union last June, the district had the opportunity to revert to the old schedule to remain in compliance with the agreement.
“We again indicated that we would work with the administration to develop a schedule that would best serve the students’ need. Again, the District chose to ignore the arbitration decision and move forward with the new schedule,” Yates said in her statement.
Under the A/B schedule, students take classes for particular subjects on alternate days for a full year instead of four subjects every day for one semester. A scheduling committee, which included faculty, recommended the A/B schedule last February, but the union opposed it. A grievance filed by the union was denied by the administration and the dispute went to arbitration.
The School Board and administration said the new schedule provided students additional learning time and built “flex time” — which allows students who may be struggling in a course to meet with teachers for extra help — into the day.
School Board member Becky Ferland said by phone on Tuesday she hoped the board would accept the ruling.
“I hope that the board follows the advice of the arbitrator and lets the teachers decide the best scheduling because they know what is best for the students,” said Ferland, a former Stevens teacher who emphasized she was speaking for herself and not on the behalf of the board. “I really feel that as far as the schedule goes, the teachers were not really represented when this was determined by the administration.”
In a September interview, former School Board Chairman Richard Seaman said that when both sides agreed to engage in bargaining to try to resolve the dispute, the board believed scheduling was its responsibility as defined under state law. For that reason — and the fact the board said the new schedule was better for students — the board chose to ignore the arbitrator’s decision.
In September, the union withdrew its request to revert to the old schedule to avoid disruption of students’ schedules, but did not withdraw its unfair labor practice complaint with the state Public Employee Labor Relations Board.
Ferland was not sure whether the School Board can challenge Monday’s decision to a different authority. Attempts to reach School Board Chairman Brian Rapp were unsuccessful.
Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.
