‘Give us a chance!’ That was the cry of
teachers in the York City School District during deliberations on options for a
financial recovery plan that took place earlier this year. They tried to
convince everyone that even though there have been years of failed attempts to
improve the district’s performance, they deserved another chance. They argued
that the new internal reform plan presented by their union, the York City
Education Association, in collaboration with the administration, would make the
district financially solvent and dramatically improve student performance.
Based on the teachers’ commitments to salary
and benefit reductions (which included a vote by the Teachers’ Union membership
to accept the Recovery Plan), the Recovery Plan was approved in the spring by: the
Recovery Advisory Committee, the York City School Board, and the Pennsylvania Department
of Education. York County Community Foundation and its YorkCounts committee
endorsed the plan and agreed to help make it a success. Better educating our
city’s children is of the utmost importance to us.
Progress is being made. Students were invited
back to the district and many came back, resulting in a net gain of students for
the 2013-2014 school year. Parents, teachers and administrators have invested
their time to organize school advisory councils to develop building improvement
plans. A district-wide Community Education Council has been established and is
meeting its milestones to establish performance standards for the district and move
the financial recovery process forward.
Now, just as positive momentum is
building, the teachers refuse to honor their commitment to sign a collective
bargaining agreement that includes the terms that they agreed to by voting to
accept the financial recovery plan. Without a commitment in writing that the
union will operate under the newly agreed-upon salary and benefit terms, the
district cannot ensure that the new improvement plans for each school will be
financially feasible. The District would be foolish to move plans forward and spend
money on new initiatives without a guarantee that the salary agreements will be
honored.
We applaud the Community Education
Council’s decision to hold off on approving specific building plans until the
teacher’s contract is signed. As stated in the financial recovery plan, the
Council cannot act in a way that would increase the financial burden on the
district. They would be violating their obligation to adhere to the plan if
they move forward individual school plans without the teachers’ union contract
secured. Without a written commitment from the teachers now, the only logical
course of action for the Council to follow is to begin the process of
identifying outside operators and engaging them to educate the district’s
students.
Teachers, this IS your chance. If you
are willing to commit to internal reform, honor your agreement and sign the contract.
Bill Hartman, President and CEO
Jane Conover, Vice President of Community
Investment