Neshaminy to teachers: Stop taking parents' phone numbers
District says database is confidential, shouldn't be used for union phone campaign.
Neshaminy teachers must stop using the district's confidential database to call parents about the contract impasse that is headed into its fourth year, district officials said Friday.
Union President Louise Boyd was sent an e-mail directing the union to "cease-and-desist" accessing the database to obtain parent names and phone numbers for union business, school board president Richie Webb said. The e-mail, sent by Superintendent Louis Muenker, warned that use of the database is covered by district policy, and the information is protected the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
The phone numbers would be used for a union public-relations campaign before the first day of school on Aug. 30, according to a script posted Friday on the Neshaminy Info blog by school board member William O'Connor.
The script, written by the American Federation of Teachers, according to O'Connor, reads in part:
"The School Board has pitted teachers against the community, and I want to say it shouldn't be like that. That's why I'm calling you. It's important that teachers and parents keep open communication and that you should feel free to call me, and I hope you feel the same way since we all have a shared interest in the success of your child.
The script then explains the union's new "work to contract" job action, which was revised to avoid the community outcry over last year's job action. This time, teachers will show up for work 15 minutes before the first bell and leave 15 minutes after the final bell, but they will participate in student orientations, back to school nights and other functions involving students and parents.
"The School Board is the only one who can fix this," the script reads. "Teachers have been left with no other option. But we want to work together this time with you in our community to ensure your children have the education they deserve."
Boyd declined to comment about whether the union had used the district's database to get phone numbers. But, she said in an e-mail that the script "was simply a set of general instructions for teachers who are not used to making such calls. And our guidance was that we do not want to get into disputes with those who have strong opinions that might be different from ours."
The district and the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers have been negotiating a contract since 2008, making it the longest current impasse in the state. The approximately 930 teachers and staffers have worked without a pay raise for three years, but they have not contributed for health-care coverage, which has been one of the main sticking points. In May, the union offered to pay a fixed 8 percent of this year's premium for each of the next three years, while the district has offered three coverages costing 10 to 20 percent.
The district's offer would raise the base pay 1 percent each year; the union's offer calls for raises of 3 percent, 3 percent and 3.5 percent, plus three years of retroactive pay. Webb has said the district cannot afford retroactive pay.
The 34th negotiating session is scheduled for Aug. 29, the night before school starts for the dIstrict's student body of about 9,300.