Grievance filed on Detention

The BHEA has filed a grievance on behalf of all teachers in the district contesting the use of teachers to cover detention after school or to force teachers to meet weekly after school with students. The contract states that nonprofessional duties shall be covered by paraprofessionals. Teachers may volunteer to do such duties, but must be paid to do them. The contract states teachers will meet with students on a regularly scheduled basis after school, but the regularly scheduled basis is left up to the teachers, not to the administration. The grievance is at Level 2, the superintendent. The BHEA is requesting compensation for all teachers covering detention since September.

The BHEA has filed a grievance on behalf of teachers who had to obtain 60 credits before they could get their Masters degrees, asking they be put on the Masters plus 30 step. Our position is a person who gets a Masters of 30 credits and then gets 30 more credits gets placed on the Masters plus 30 step. Why shouldn't a person who must get 60 credits before getting their Masters be placed on the same Masters plus 30 step? The School Committee recently rejected the grievance, so the BHEA has filed for arbitration.

Association Continues to Watch School Times and Lunch Periods Carefully

The Association is still keeping a close eye on how teachers receive their 30 minute DUTY FREE lunch hour and if the schools are adhering to the 7 hour 15 minute time limit for the school day.

BHEA Demands False Allegations End Immediately

A teacher who has been falsely accused at least three times of unprofessional conduct sought BHEA assistance to bring these allegations to an end. The BHEA represented the teacher during the most recent allegation and the ensuing investigation and noted that the charge was absolutely unfounded. The BHEA sent a letter to the administration asking them to investigate this matter and take steps to end these attacks. We said if they did so to our satisfaction, we would take no further action. Although the administration has requested a followup meeting to discuss this incident, due to more pressing incidents, we have not been able to schedule a meeting.

Teacher Assigned MTA Attorney

The Massachusetts Teachers Association has assigned a staff member an attorney to represent them in a serious job dispute. The executive council meeting received a report on the incident, and Bill Mooney told them he was convinced the staff member is innocent of all claims against them. Since the case is unresolved, he could not comment any further except to state that all rumors surrounding the case are unfounded.