Hamilton Southeastern Schools Corp. hosted a pre-bargaining meeting and public hearing Oct. 1 to hear from members of the public before the start of contract negotiations between HSE Schools and the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association.
Nine people spoke, all expressing support for teachers. Several discussed the need to continue providing financial incentives for teachers who earn master’s degrees. Others questioned why the district moved away from interest-based bargaining — which is collaborative — and reverted to the more confrontational positional bargaining.
Janet Chandler, a Britton Falls resident, said she and her neighbors in that 55-plus community don’t have children in the school district, but they do have grandchildren. She said Britton Falls supported the district’s operating referendum, which passed in November, because they care about educating the community’s youth.
Chandler said she would like the district to go back to interest-based bargaining and continue to offer incentives for teachers who improve their own education.
“There is value in education,” she said. “That’s the business that the school district is in. The district should reward the teachers who have valued education to obtain their masters and years of experience.”
Megan Leahy, who has two children in the district, said she was disappointed the public hearing was not taking place during a regular HSE School Board meeting, which had been the tradition in the past.
“I am here tonight to stand beside our HSE teachers because, well, they are amazing,” she said. “They deserve every accolade and all of the support our community can and have shown them.”
Leahy said she thought the referendum funds would go toward teacher salaries. She questioned why the district was stating it is short of funds now, whether administrator salary costs have grown and whether administrators would face a similar health insurance premium increase that has been proposed to teachers.
Leahy warned that the district would start losing teachers if it continued on its current path.
Danny Corbin said that for people who work for the state, when they earn higher education degrees or certification, they receive raises. The private sector also rewards employees who better their education.
“So, when I find out that getting a master’s degree and promoting your education isn’t actually going to help you (at HSE) — aren’t going to get you additional resources for the time and effort that you put into it, that doesn’t make sense,” he said, especially for an academic institution. “Those things are logical ways to retain the highest and best in our community.”
The HSE School Board will discuss contract negotiations during an Oct. 9 executive session, set for 5 p.m. at the district’s central office, 13485 Cumberland Rd. A regular meeting will follow at 6 p.m.
