The district reversed its proposal from a calendar where school would begin Aug. 16 and winter break would separate the two semesters, rather than the current calendar and having winter break leave about three weeks before finals.
“It’s the same as we’ve had as every year, so we didn’t foresee any significant road bumps,” said John Garcia, assistant superintendent for human resources.
“But it appears Glendale Teacher’s Assn. will only talk about the calendar if we will also meet to talk about their release time.”
Garcia said the district team did not have authorization from the Board of Education to approve association rights, essentially provisions guaranteeing time off for union leadership to tend to union business, and payments for substitute teachers filling in for union leaders.
Carlson said it is improper bargaining procedure to pick and choose which agreements to ratify.
“We are trying to follow proper bargaining protocol, and that is when an issue is agreed upon, [a tentative agreement is signed],” she said. “Glendale Teacher’s Assn. has been willing to [sign a tentative agreement on] the agreed-upon proposals of the calendar and association rights.”
Because the union agreed to the district’s proposal for association rights, Carlson said there shouldn’t be any delay.
But board Vice President Greg Krikorian said district negotiators were authorized to ratify only the calendar.
“The reality of things is, this has been on the table for nine months, and we owe it to the parents, the students and teachers and community as a whole to move forward,” he said.
