New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
▶ Teachers’ union says it did not have full input on plan.
NEW HAVEN — The president of the New Haven teachers union said district officials overstated his involvement in a plan presented to the Board of Education to reopen district schools for some high-need students with disabilities.
New Haven Federation of Teachers President Dave Cicarella said the district’s Director of Student Services Typhanie Jackson and Superintendent of Schools
Iline Tracey called him on Sept. 8 to discuss a plan to return roughly 125 students — predominantly students with significant disabilities such as non-verbal autism and students who are nonambulatory — to classrooms in 11 schools that would be on the board’s agenda. About 100 teachers and special education personnel would be affected under the plan.
Cicarella said he had been in talks with Jackson and Tracey about the issue for nearly a month and he’d agreed to have a discussion on the issue; he said he verbally understood that Jackson and Tracey would look to gauge the school board’s support, but when the school board was presented with and approved a plan Monday — complete with a timetable — he awoke Tuesday to concerned messages from teachers and parents.
“The way that conversation went, everyone was telling me it’s clear it was their understanding that not only was the union communicated with but there was some tacit approval, as well,” he said.
But Jackson said Tuesday that the union was consulted and was aware there was a plan.
“Everything in our plan presented was communicated in our phone conversation,” she said.
A message seeking comment was left with Tracey.
Cicarella said further he does not understand how he can explain why some special education teachers will be returning to work and others will not; he said he was not fully on board with the plan to seek out volunteers to return to classrooms. He said there’s an “inherent contradiction” he has to address now that some teachers are returning to teach in-person but others are not.
“Nothing comes to me, you put it on the (website), send it to the board and they approve it with no discussion with me whatsoever,” he said.
About a month before the start of school, four of seven board members voted against offering in-person instruction, making New Haven the only school district in the state to keep its buildings closed unrelated to a specific uptick in COVID-19 cases in the region.
Darnell Goldson, one of those four board members, was the only member to vote against the plan Monday. He proposed the implementation of a joint labor management committee before the district reopened any schools, although his motion to do so was voted down.
“We were clear we wanted teachers at the very least to be involved in these committees overseeing these (protocol) checklists,” he said. “I would like to hear from teachers.”
On Tuesday, Goldson said that “unlike some in the administration, I actually have discussions with people and make sure I am clear on the results of those discussions at the end.”
“I wanted to understand the union’s position, and I was clear that they wanted input on the final plan before implementation. It is only fair that if their health is on the line, they should have some voice in the process, which is why I put forth my amendment,” he said.
Matt Wilcox, who personally has been in favor of offering schools for some optional in-person instruction, said he voted on the plan Monday with the understanding there had been some communication with union officials but not that the union signed off on the plan itself.
“The agenda stated that a vote was anticipated, and I voted for us to cautiously move forward with this small group of students who need some level of on-site instruction,” he said. “Now that a plan is in place, I am hoping all involved will make it successful.”
Board members Tamiko Jackson-McArthur and Larry Conaway, who were part of the initial vote to keep buildings closed but voted Monday to reopen for the special education classrooms, said they were disappointed to learn Cicarella said he was not fully involved in the planning.
Jackson-McArthur said it would have affected her vote.
“We were made to believe that the union was on board,” she said.
Conaway, a retired educator, said he believes teachers should be included in the planning.
“It’s unfortunate that the union was not included in the special education reopening plan. The teachers should absolutely be at the table and should have been included in the special education reopening plan,” Conaway said. However, he said it didn’t change his thinking, because he believes vulnerable students need in-person instruction. “I hope we will turn the situation into a win-win for all parties.”
Before voting to approve the plan Monday, board member Ed Joyner said he would happily sign on because he knows there is strong collaboration between the district and unions.
“Dr. Tracey has assured me she will meet with the union heads and they will meet with their members, and she’s already had, in my opinion, a really good meeting with our NHFT president and (School Administrators Association) president,” he said Monday.
Joyner did not return a request for comment Tuesday.
Despite his displeasure, Cicarella said he did not assign any ill intent to either Jackson or Tracey, both who he believes are honorable.
“It doesn’t change what happened,” he said. “We can’t have these missteps.”