RSU 9 educators say Board does not fully understand issues at hand - Daily Bulldog

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FARMINGTON - Regional School Unit 9 Board of Directors released a statement on Thursday in response to a petition organized by staff members two weeks ago; out of the 400 staff members who were sent a ballot to vote, 335 said they have "no confidence" in Meserve.

Board members said that, while their top priority is to show their appreciation for RSU 9 staff, they are committed to resolving the issues at hand as quickly as possible.

"It is our belief that during these challenging times we must strive to work through our differences and we are committed to doing so - providing guidance and resources to our superintendent to be able to effectively respond to concerns," the statement said.

The letter also addressed the ongoing discussion of teacher contracts, which have not yet been determined. Staff members are currently working with 2019 contracts, and have voiced the need for salary increases to reflect a more competitive wage. Thursday's statement from board members said they have proposed a $1.1 million increase over the next three years, going up 4.25 percent this year, 3.62 percent in the next year and 2.56 percent in the last year.

"With declining enrollment, expected loss of state subsidy, and the reality that many families in our communities cannot shoulder an increased tax burden, there is a limit to what we can do to address this issue in the very near term," the letter said.

The Mt. Blue Education Association disputed those numbers, however, in a response released on Friday.

"The School Board has shared incorrect information on the salary proposal, erroneously stating that raises it is offering would be as high as 4.25 percent. This is NOT TRUE. The actual overall percentages being offered are much lower, and, in fact, never reach four percent, even in the final year. The factual raise numbers are: 2.3 percent this year, 3.58 percent the second year, and 2.56 percent in the third year," the statement reported. "Currently, with the Board’s salary proposal, it will take TEN years for a new teacher to move from the statewide minimum salary of $40,000 to just $42,766. Please let that sink in, ten years to increase your salary by less than $3,000. We have to ask, why would anyone want to work in a district with a salary scale that is so regressive?"

More so than a lack of contracts, the Association said they are concerned about how little attention the board has shown regarding the vote of no confidence. Board members said Meserve has committed to resolving the issues with staff members, and have begun to look into options for handling those issues, but Association members say that response is essentially ignoring the 91 percent of staff members who cast their ballots against Meserve. The Association's response stated they have attempted to discuss the issues with board members on several occasions but have been turned down.

"This action by the Board does not instill faith in those who are making the decisions that affect our students and our staff. The Association’s vote is a clear message regarding our Superintendent’s leadership, and the Board has refused to allow educators to speak on this issue, which is unacceptable. Our concerns existed prior to the pandemic, and the response from the Board causes great concern that the majority of our Board does not fully understand the issues at hand," the letter said.

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RSU 9 educators say Board does not fully understand issues at hand - Daily Bulldog
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