Schools

WCASD President Distances Board from Adsett

The President of the West Chester Area School District Board tries to put some distance between the board and one outspoken Board Member.

 

The President of the West Chester Area School Board is trying to put some distance between himself, the board and comments made Thursday by one board member who ripped into leadership of the District's teachers union.

Heidi Adsett issued a press release Thursday blasting the leadership of the West Chester Area School District Education Association for sending an email to the rank and file calling on teachers to "work to contract" after June 30.

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District teachers have been working under the terms of their old contract which expired on June 30, 2012.

Adsett included a copy of the email she was criticizing in her press release (which was sent from Adsett's private email account but) which originally indicated it was on official school district letterhead. As West Chester Patch reported Thursday, Adsett sent a follow-up email to the news media indicating that the press release was from her alone.

Find out what's happening in West Chesterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Friday, the President of the WCASD Board posted a response on the official District website. In his statement, Vince Murphy clearly distances himself and other other board members from Adsett's statement. Murphy also raises questions about why union leaders would encourage teachers not to help students with college recommendation letters or any other task not explicitly spelled out in the teacher's contract.

STATEMENT FROM SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT VINCE MURPHY

 

 Friday, May 24, 2013 - - On Thursday, School Board member Mrs. Heidi Adsett issued a press release condemning correspondence which was sent from the West Chester Area Education Association's union leadership  to its members. The West Chester Area School Board had no prior knowledge of Mrs. Adsett’s release, and the statement was hers alone as an individual.

 

 Attached to the press release was the email advising teachers to stop providing services not explicitly stated in their contract with the District.

 

 The Board acknowledges that our teachers routinely go “above and beyond” in providing excellent service to our students. This includes things such as writing letters of recommendation to colleges, or providing after-school help for struggling students.

 

 We are mystified why Association leadership would chose to stop writing letters of recommendation for our students, or why they would stop helping our students before or after school. We believe that the vast majority of teachers are dedicated and professional, and choose their profession because they want to help each and every child in our District. The Association’s request sends the opposite message.

 

 The Board and the Association must continue to negotiate, without using our children as pawns in the process. Our next negotiation session is June 3, and it is time for the WCAEA to give this session the attention it deserves by coming to the table ready to realistically reach a settlement.

The two sides have not been to the bargaining table since February. In March the Union and the District both indicated they wanted to wait to see how Governor Corbett's new budget handles the issue of public employee pensions. Those pensions include teachers and the outcome of the debate over pensions could have a huge impact on the district's costs under a new teacher contract.

  • Related Story:

Adsett Rips Into Teachers Union


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