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The teachers’ union representing Morton High School District 201 teachers has reneged on its offer to work with the Board of Education amid the district’s financial crisis.
As the district’s financial problems have increased, the School Board has reached out to the community for solutions, help and support.
The board held a special meeting Thursday, June 3 — less than a week before its regularly scheduled monthly meeting Wednesday, June 9 — to update the public on the state of its money woes.
From beginning to end, School Board members and Superintendent Michael Kuzniewski took a defensive stance and worked to redirect anger toward outside forces they said are influencing recent budget decisions.
Upon returning from an hour-long meeting held behind closed doors, Board President Jeffry Pesek told a crowd of nearly 200 that the teachers’ union is not willing to see the school’s daily bell schedule change.
“Unfortunately, the only solutions the teachers’ union offered came at the expense of our students,” Pesek said.
Pesek told the audience union leadership offered several times since February to help.
“The Board of Education took this pledge in good faith,” Pesek said.
But the union has walked away from that pledge, he added.
During talks with union representatives, Pesek said the union suggested raising fees and eliminating extra curricular activities and all athletics.
“And other suggestions that simply were not practical,” he said.
Pesek said the board will not accept a remedy that balances the district’s budget on the backs of students.
To save money, District 201 has reduced the class credits students earn throughout the year. Doing so would have forced students to spend time in mandatory study periods.
After hearing concerns from parents, district officials proposed changes to the bell schedule that would have lengthened the amount of time students spent in classes, and eliminated mandatory study halls. Making the changes meant re-opening the teachers’ union contract.
“Unfortunately, the teachers’ union does not want to discuss the revised bell schedule at this time,” Pesek said.
An e-mail statement from local union leadership stated the union never agreed to re-open the teachers’ contract.
“The districts(sic) suggestions became demands, and we did not feel they were the appropriate direction to go. We did not begin formal contract negotiations or agree to re-open the contract,” the statement reads.
“We call on the administration to work with us in securing state funding and truly addressing the larger funding problem. We did not create this problem. The problem was created in Springfield, and the solution will have to come from Springfield as well,” the e-mail reads.
The teachers’ union representing Morton High School District 201 teachers has reneged on its offer to work with the Board of Education amid the district’s financial crisis.
As the district’s financial problems have increased, the School Board has reached out to the community for solutions, help and support.
The board held a special meeting Thursday, June 3 — less than a week before its regularly scheduled monthly meeting Wednesday, June 9 — to update the public on the state of its money woes.
From beginning to end, School Board members and Superintendent Michael Kuzniewski took a defensive stance and worked to redirect anger toward outside forces they said are influencing recent budget decisions.
Upon returning from an hour-long meeting held behind closed doors, Board President Jeffry Pesek told a crowd of nearly 200 that the teachers’ union is not willing to see the school’s daily bell schedule change.
“Unfortunately, the only solutions the teachers’ union offered came at the expense of our students,” Pesek said.
Pesek told the audience union leadership offered several times since February to help.
“The Board of Education took this pledge in good faith,” Pesek said.
But the union has walked away from that pledge, he added.
During talks with union representatives, Pesek said the union suggested raising fees and eliminating extra curricular activities and all athletics.
“And other suggestions that simply were not practical,” he said.
Pesek said the board will not accept a remedy that balances the district’s budget on the backs of students.
To save money, District 201 has reduced the class credits students earn throughout the year. Doing so would have forced students to spend time in mandatory study periods.
After hearing concerns from parents, district officials proposed changes to the bell schedule that would have lengthened the amount of time students spent in classes, and eliminated mandatory study halls. Making the changes meant re-opening the teachers’ union contract.
“Unfortunately, the teachers’ union does not want to discuss the revised bell schedule at this time,” Pesek said.
An e-mail statement from local union leadership stated the union never agreed to re-open the teachers’ contract.
“The districts(sic) suggestions became demands, and we did not feel they were the appropriate direction to go. We did not begin formal contract negotiations or agree to re-open the contract,” the statement reads.
“We call on the administration to work with us in securing state funding and truly addressing the larger funding problem. We did not create this problem. The problem was created in Springfield, and the solution will have to come from Springfield as well,” the e-mail reads.
The crisis has brought out the passions of students and former students, several of whom spoke Thursday.
Morton West High School junior Samantha Lewis argued there should not need to be a change in the bell schedule in order to give students the amount of classes they need to take.
Lewis said she is proof the district can provide students a quality education.
“However, if the district continues to lower the graduation requirements and reduce the number of classes the students can take, I do not believe that outstanding students will be produced,” Lewis said. “Rather, the district will be producing students who have achieved only the bare minimum.”
Former Morton East High School student Nicole Cordero, began to tear up as she spoke of how extra-curricular activities shaped her life.
“Youth require many different paths of development,” Cordero said. “I know that as a product of sports and arts, AP classes, wonderful teachers. I know that every single part of it counted and made a difference in me getting to where I was and where I am today.”
As the public spoke, Pesek and Kuzniewski took note of their questions and some of their comments and addressed them.
District spokesman Eric Kohn said in an interview the School Board called the special meeting partly so board members could listen to ideas from the public.
“A lot of the problems we feel could be alleviated by the new bell schedule, but (the teachers’ union) made it clear they’re not interested in entertaining that at this time, and I find it unfortunate,” Kohn said.
During the meeting, the board also voted to re-hire 33 of the teachers that had been told not to return next year.
Though the meeting was open to public comment, no representative from the teachers’ union spoke.
