Teachers’ contract talks off

The school district notified the teachers association about the decision on Oct. 25, and it was announced Friday in a district newsletter.

A portion of that message stated, “As a result of [the union] missing the deadline, the district has decided to forego [sic] negotiations this year in order for all staff to have the opportunity to focus on student academic achievement without the distraction of another year of potentially contentious negotiations.”

The union sees the district’s decision on negotiations as another example of the school district’s unwillingness to work together with the union on key issues, Freemon said.

In an Oct. 26 letter to Escalante, the board of directors of the teachers association described several ways in which the union has been left out of the school district’s decision-making process.

Teachers have not been sufficiently consulted in terms of the district’s use of programs like Focus on Results and Reading First, according to the letter. And the way the district has made its decision about union release days for teachers has not been appropriate, the letter said.

Escalante said he would address some of the issues raised by the teachers association, including what he said were inaccuracies in the letter, at the next board of education meeting on Tuesday.

 ANGELA HOKANSON covers education. She may be reached at (818) 637-3238 or by e-mail at angelahokanson@latimes.com.