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Chardon teachers threaten to strike
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - September 16, 2009)
Chardon teachers threaten to strike
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
"Get interested."
That was the message delivered Monday by Chardon math teacher Scott Brown to the Chardon Board of Education on Chardon Square. Mr. Brown and more than 100 teachers gathered at the square to rally support for their side in contract negotiations with the school board.
"As of Sept. 1, 2009, Chardon teaches have been working without a contract," Mr. Brown said. "Although the teachers' negotiating team made diligent efforts to reach a fair and equitable agreement, no resolution is in sight."
In an earlier statement, Mr. Brown said the stalemate is leading teachers toward a strike. "We are running out of options," he said. "We returned to our classrooms this fall to serve the children of this fine community, but the board is forcing us down a very dangerous path that could lead to a work stoppage."
Mr. Brown was speaking on behalf of the Chardon Education Association that represents 191 employees, including classroom teachers, school nurses, speech and language pathologists, guidance counselors, media specialists and special education intervention specialists.
Mr. Brown told the crowd Monday that teachers offered an agreement on Aug. 24 that included a "modest base salary increase" but were told by the attorney representing the board that his client "is not interested."
The school board has offered teachers no increase to the base salary for the proposed one-year contract. Mr. Brown said it would be the third time in five years teachers have seen no increase in their base pay.
While the board is not interested, Mr. Brown said, teachers are.
He then listed past spending practices of the board and challenged the board's withholding an increase in salary.
"We're interested in knowing why the board is unwilling to offer any raise when it can be certified by the state that the board can afford at least a 1.5 percent increase and that school funds are sound through 2011," Mr. Brown said.
He questioned why the board hired a "high-priced" attorney when free legal advice is available from the Geauga County Prosecutor's Office.
"We're interested in knowing why the board's Cleveland-based attorney was paid approximately $22,000 for his participation in a three-day negotiations session that ended at an impasse," he said. "Why not use a trained board member to negotiate instead of a high-priced, out-of-town lawyer?"
Mr. Brown said the board also spent $100,000 for textbooks from its general fund, rather than a permanent improvement fund. "That's like moving money from a checking account to a savings account and then claiming not to have enough money in the checking account to cover anticipated expenses," he said.
He also questioned the board's spending $314,000 for a house, which, he said, would only create an ongoing expense for improvements and maintenance.
And he said the board spent approximately $490,000 to resurface the football field rather than finance a portion of it, as recommended by School Superintendent Joseph Bergant II. "As a result, purchases for the classroom specified in the district's strategic plan, had to be canceled as no money was available," Mr. Brown said.
"After many months of negotiations, the teachers find it disheartening that the board is relying on a high-priced, Cleveland-based attorney to relay its unyielding message, 'My client is not interested.'"
Mr. Brown called on the community to join teachers in their efforts to get a contract done.
"We are asking community members to immediately contact the board and administration and tell them to get interested and work out a fair and equitable contract as soon as possible," Mr. Brown said.
One person among the approximately 35 onlookers and supporters was Chardon City Councilwoman Deborah Reiter, who said she was there to support the teachers. "It's time to make education and educators a priority," she said.
She said it appears that the school board has a lot of questions to answer on this matter, including its spending habits. "There are a lot of questions as to how they handled this whole thing," Mrs. Reiter said.
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