Fellow AAEA Members,
I have heard member comments in the not too distant past that revolve around the purpose of the union. Some feel that our role is simply to negotiate a contract every three or four years. Others think we simply are part of the process to get conference requests approved. Many feel that we are here just to answer questions about benefits, bereavement leave, or personal days. Some have found that we are here to support them while involved in disciplinary investigations. While all of these are certainly true, the main job of the union is to protect the contract. What does that mean? It means that we need to make sure that the district follows the contract language that has been put in place and modified over the course of the last 47 years. The idea of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is that there is a standard that is applied in all cases & ndash; we don’t all make our own deal on a case by case scenario. Can exceptions be made? Sure, there are instances where the district can work things out with individual members or entire building faculties as long as those involved are agreeable to slight modifications. The important aspect in these cases is that the members have a choice in the matter, especially when guaranteed conditions of employment are changed.
One area that has been a point of contention with some members and their principals has been prep time. According to the CBA, prep time is sacred. It is guaranteed and cannot be considered conference time or meeting time by the administration. The only time that prep time can be taken away is in an emergency and when the member agrees to forfeit prep time for a particular reason. The specific language regarding prep time is slightly different in secondary and elementary schools, due to the varying schedules of the different levels. Secondary teachers are to be afforded five preparation periods each full week, with, where possible, one per day. The length of the prep period is to be equal to the length of a regular class period, but no less than 40 minutes. Elementary teachers are to receive a minimum of 250 minutes each full week with 50 minutes per day. In certa in cases, the district is permitted to split that 50 minutes into two segments of 30 minutes and 20 minutes. However, each teacher is still guaranteed 50 minutes a day.
Another aspect of our contract that is pertinent to the current situation is that we may be required to work two separate one-hour extra segments per month. According to the contract, these two hours cannot be split into smaller segments and spread out over the month but must be served immediately after school and for no more than an hour at a time. If a principal only uses 15 minutes of that time after school one day, he or she has forfeited the right to the extra 45 minutes.
With the above language in mind, we come to the question of elementary faculty meetings and PLCs. From what I understand, the elementary principals devised a plan that would be consistent among all school buildings. In their plan, they scheduled faculty/committee meetings to take place from 8:00-9:00 AM once a month with the entire faculty and smaller PLCs to take place from 8:00-9:00 AM once a month for each PLC team. As far as I know, they did not consult the faculty to give them a choice in the matter between giving up their prep time twice a month and staying an hour after school twice a month. Also, contrary to what some teachers were told, the union did not “sign off” on this agreement. In my role as union president, I cannot agree to deny you your contractual rights. In my mind, and according to the CBA, this is a violation of the contract language. Teachers should not be mandated to surrender their prep time. As the contract allows, they should be given the choice. If, as seems to have been the case in the recent past, teachers agree to this arrangement, then all is well. If, however, teachers are not agreeable, then meetings should be scheduled after school, taking place, in most cases, from 3:40-4:40 PM.
After speaking with Mrs. Burlingame, she has agreed that elementary principals will adhere to the decision of their staff. What you need to do as a staff is get together and make a decision. Will you come in ten minutes early and forfeit your prep time for these meetings, or will you meet after the school day ends for an extra hour? Some principals may even be flexible in the sense that some PLCs could meet in the morning and some after school, but the faculty meeting should be a collective decision.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. Also, please be respectful of your colleagues’ rights to contact the association at any time that they would like clarification on what can and cannot be mandated by the district. I am sure that as professionals you will all come to a consensus that will not only meet the needs of your students but also fit within your very busy schedules.
In solidarity,
Doug
