Teachers’ rights

Although Maryland public school educators and certificated employees may form unions to bargain over their salaries, wages, hours and other working conditions, the state prohibits them from negotiating over class sizes. Senate Bill 206 seeks to repeal that rule, meaning unions could negotiate with school districts over the maximum number of students assigned to a class.

This proposal, if approved, could in theory increase the number of teachers a local school system must employ, as well as the number of classrooms needed.

Although the pandemic placed more pressure on educators — many of whom were spread thin by chronic school staff absences — this bill would give them a new opportunity to bargain over a facet of their workload. The bill also comes at a time when some Maryland school systems are grappling with aging facilities, overcrowding and expanding prekindergarten for 3- and 4-year-olds.

Another bill introduced in the House this session would protect employees of any public, private or parochial school in some cases, from civil liability in a personal injury or property damage dispute concerning a student.

Del. Robin Grammer, a Baltimore County Republican sponsoring the bill, said the state needs to find ways to stabilize educational settings at a time when educators say they’re seeing discipline issues among students. Grammer said some educators have shared with him that they’re afraid to intervene in physical altercations between students for fear of getting sued.

“[Teachers] feel vulnerable and are reluctant to step in even when you have a really egregious situation where a student is clobbering a smaller student,” he said. “It gives protection to teachers acting in good faith in a bullying situation.”