HUNTINGTON – Following an $18 million 9C budget cut in regional transportation funds by outgoing Governor Deval L. Patrick, Gateway Superintendent Dr. David Hopson told the Gateway School Committee last week that, unless the Gateway Teacher’s Association (GTA) accepts the loss of one day for parent/teacher conferences, seven teachers would be laid off on January 23, 2015.
Hopson said the state budget cuts will lower the district’s anticipated reimbursement by almost $241,000.
“The last time regional transportation was cut and then restored, it wasn’t restored until April,” said Hopson, adding that incoming Gov. Charlie Baker has promised not to raise any taxes and not to touch local aid. “(Baker) potentially has to make up another $200 million over what Patrick was trying to make up, so the likelihood of getting regional transportation reinstated is probably quite slim.”
Hopson said a letter was sent to Patrick by legislators asking him to restore the $18 million and that all of Gateway’s legislative delegation signed it with the exception of Peter Kocot, a Northampton Democrat who represents the town of Montgomery.
He said the state’s regional schools are looking into a state law which says the Governor cannot cut regional transportation without cutting Chapter 70 first, a move he said Patrick did not make.
Asked by Committee Member Anne Marie Buikus of Montgomery which teachers would get axed, Hopson replied that two full-time and one part-time high school teacher, as well as a middle school guidance counselor and three elementary teachers, would be laid off.
This didn’t sit well with the committee, who began brainstorming ways to make up the deficit, like putting capital improvement projects on hold and digging into the district’s rainy day fund to save the positions.
GTA President Jim Duggan, a social studies teacher at Gateway Regional High School, told the committee the union met with district administration and is still investigating whether a furlough is in their best interests.
“We’ve talked about a couple different scenarios and offered our own counter-proposals. We didn’t get as far as we wanted, but this is all very new to us,” Duggan said. “I felt, in consultation with the MTA (Mass. Teachers Association), we need more information to make a well educated decision. We’re not blaming anybody… but we’ll see what we can do.”
Kayla Brady, one of the teachers facing the prospect of unemployment, gave an impassioned plea to the committee.
“I have two children at home, my husband is self-employed and I don’t see how my position being cut is going to come up with the revenue that is lost,” said a crying Brady.
She added that losing her job halfway through the school year might mean that she wouldn’t be able to collect unemployment and would be without health insurance.
Hopson countered that the situation was the fault of the state, Patrick specifically.
“This is a short-term problem that, depending on how you react to the problem, could have long-term solutions,” said Hopson. “Teacher’s salaries were the last thing we looked at.”
Buikus and fellow committee members Ruth Kennedy and Mary Ann Laurie, both of Russell, voiced their support for the teachers, with Laurie stating her belief that the teachers shouldn’t have to give up anything and Buikus suggesting an administrative position be eliminated instead.
“You’re putting the teachers into a box. The proper way to do this is to find somewhere else to do this,” said Buikus. “We say we need to do this for the good of the children. For the love of God, do this for the good of the children.”
“I’m a little disturbed that you have been negotiating with the GTA for three weeks and today we get the email as a school committee,” said Laurie. “You’re not required to discuss laying teachers off with the school committee. It sounds like at least one or two of us should be in on negotiations.”
Smaller concessions were offered up by Sue Levreault of Worthington and Jeffrey Wyand of Huntington, who suggested staff members contribute sick days and to cut athletic coaching stipends this year.
Huntington Finance Committee Member Darlene McVeigh challenged the school committee to question how many administrators the district really needs.
“I’m disappointed that you feel that, to fill the void, you’re going to cut over six percent of your teaching staff,” said McVeigh to Hopson. “Cutting direct pupil services is unacceptable. You have two Level 3 schools and you’re going to cut seven teachers out?”
“When we had six elementary schools – back when Christ was a child, when my husband first started teaching – we had quite a few more students than we have today and we had only two principals,” she said.
McVeigh referenced an estimated $500,000 she said is sitting in a school choice fund which she feels could be used to plug the deficit.
“You may not want to use that money, but if you don’t have a choice, I would rather, as a taxpayer, see you spend $200,000, lay off an administrative position and spend the balance to keep these seven teachers,” McVeigh said.
Hopson replied that his offer was far from the “threat” Kennedy and several audience members perceived it as.
“I asked custodians, secretaries, para-professionals, administrative staff and non-union staff to give up something so that no one had to be laid off,” said Hopson. “Can I ask the school committee to spend school choice revolving? Yes, but what you’re going to do is short next year’s budget by that amount.”
“You already asked – and have gotten – people who make substantially less than teachers to give up more than teachers are being asked to give up,” he said.
Committee Chair Michelle Crane of Blandford asked Duggan if the union has a timeline in place to come to a decision, to which the Duggan replied that the union would be getting more information this week and would be working hard over the break to come to a decision.
