MEAD, Wash. – Teachers in the Mead School District face an uncertain start to the academic year as contract negotiations with the district remain unresolved with less than two weeks before classes begin.
The Mead Education Association has been negotiating with the school district for months, but major issues remain unresolved. The ongoing dispute has raised the possibility of a teacher strike if an agreement cannot be reached before the school year starts.
“Quite frankly, it’s a free-for-all at each building. Some of our buildings do great work because they have a principal that really understands inclusion and works collaboratively with the staff to make it work. And at other buildings, we can do a lot better,” said Toby Doolittle, president of the Mead Education Association.
The school year is scheduled to start on September 2, and the current collective bargaining agreement expires at the end of this month. The education association says there are a number of issues that need to be resolved before they can come to an agreement on a new one.
Teachers say there are issues with the collective bargaining agreement with the school district. Those issues include arrangements for students with special needs.
The Education Association says the district’s policy on disciplining students also needs more clarity. The teachers union also has concerns about growing class sizes.
“We’ve asked for specific plans in how they provide support to our students and also our teachers in meeting the needs of the kids. We’ve asked for that for over four years and they haven’t delivered,” Doolittle said. “What types of models we use to meet kids needs? Do we co-teach? Do we push in with an aide to support kids? None of those things have ever been laid out to us.”
The Mead School Board is responding to some of those claims. School Board President Michael Cannon says putting public pressure on the district is not a good bargaining tactic. Cannon says the solutions the teachers union is suggesting would be costly for the district.
Cannon issued a press release this week saying the teachers union is misrepresenting the investments the district has made in its teachers.
“District representatives have bargained in good faith for months and will continue to do so. Our team has continually expressed a willingness to engage in ongoing dialogue and collaborate with teachers about the best, most effective ways to address their needs and concerns. The MEA thinks a public pressure campaign and disparaging the district are good bargaining tactics. They’re not. Our position is steady: negotiate in good faith, work toward a fair deal, but don’t make promises that will weaken the district and cost taxpayers down the road. That’s not stubbornness – it’s responsibility,” the statement read.
“Us as a district, we need to stand up and create systems of support for our students and those are lacking. So we’re challenging the district through the collective bargaining process to come up with substantive supports that we can address student safety,” Doolittle said.
The Mead School District says it wants to continue to negotiate in good faith and work toward a fair deal. Cannon says they don’t want to make any promises that could weaken the district or cost taxpayers more money down the road.
“We have two sessions planned for next week. We’ve shared with the district that we’re available for four additional day-long sessions, so the hope is to get a deal done,” Doolittle said.
With so little time before the school year starts, the union has to consider what it will do if it can’t reach an agreement, including a possible strike.
“If that doesn’t happen, we will invite our members to share their concerns and we will discuss the next steps and go from there,” Doolittle said.
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