Maine Township High School District 207 officials unanimously voted Feb. 1 to slash 137 jobs as part of a cost-cutting measure to save the district about $15 million.
The job cuts include 75 teaching positions at the districts three high schools.
Edward Mueller, president of the school board, defended the move Monday despite a strong outcry last month from teachers, parents and students at a packed, five-hour public hearing.
Mueller said it would be irresponsible not to cut our expenses as the district is projected to face a $19 million budget deficit next year.
For me, to vote against the proposal is to endorse insolvency for the district, he said.
Despite the vote, the administration remained open to negotiate with the Maine Teachers Association to save about 40 to 45 teaching jobs. Late last week, the administration offered to spend up to $2 million more out of the districts reserve funds for two years if the union agreed to match a similar amount in salary concessions.
The proposal calls for the MTA to agree to forgo a 3.2 percent cost-of-living pay increase in the 2010-2011 school year. Step pay increases would continue based on seniority, as would a 3.5 percent pay hike planned for the 2011-2012 school year.
MTA President Emma Visee argued that the administrations offer, received just a few days before the board meeting, left the union very little time to properly consider the proposal.
Visee said the offer was worded like a ransom note.
That strategy left me with a membership wondering if the board is truly acting in good faith, she said.
Visee urged the board to slow down the cost reduction plan and spend money out of its reservesprojected to be about $86 million at the end of the school yearto avoid terminating so many teachers.
Use the fund balance as it was intended, as a savings to get over those tough times, Visee said.
Some argued against such a move and urged the teachers union and the administration to work out a compromise.
Mark Barrett of Park Ridge said it was time to stop the blame game.
“The board of education has the fiduciary responsibility to hold our reserve at a level to keep the district from running into insolvency,” Barrett said. “What solutions has the union brought to the table except to totally use the reserve funds of the taxpayers?”
Cathy Creagh, a teacher for 15 years in the district, said the district spends about $1,200 per student to cover administration costs, an amount more than double that of neighboring districts.
Creagh said it was unfair for the board to force the teachers to bail you out of this crisis, adding that no one had forced the district into any unfair contract.
When did teachers become the deep pockets of the district? she asked the board.
Board member Eric Leys countered that the board had a responsibility to serve students and taxpayers.
Were not here to serve the teachers, or the teachers pensions, Leys said.
Leys said he hoped the MTA would come back to the table and work out an agreement to save the jobs of the districts young teachers.
“I think we need to work together to get out of this,” he said.
The districts financial problems first became known last summer when an accounting error resulted in a larger deficit than expected. The deficit at the end of this school year is projected to be about $11 million, and about $4 to $9 million next year with the latest budget cuts.
If the MTA and the administration work out an agreement, the school board could schedule a meeting before March 1 to repeal some of the job cuts.
Jason Lee, Triblocal.com reporter
