Creative Schools MOU – Let SEA Members VOTE, Jonathan!

(2 pm. – promoted by ek hornbeck)

Table of Contents:

III. A Printable Petition  

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I. Quick History of the Creative Schools Approach Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) pushed by Jonathan Knapp in Dec. 2011 to Jan. 2012.

Tues. 6 Dec. an SEA email had a draft of MOU in it, but, no warning in the subject line about this issue.

Thurs. 8 Dec. SEA sent out an email with MOU stuff in it, subject “Exhibit A”.  

Mon. 12 Dec. The SEA RA votes to not vote until the Jan. RA.

3 Jan an email from SEA with the FIRST mention of “Creative Approach Schools” – and a week later on 10 Jan they sent out an update.

In Jan. the SEA RA approved the MOU.

15 Feb. 2012 the school board approves the MOU.

http://saveseattleschools.blog…

http://saveseattleschools.blog…

5 March 2012 City Council member Tim Burgess weighs in the CAS MOU on Publicola.

http://publicola.com/2012/03/0…

In July the MOU is declared illegal.

http://saveseattleschools.blog…

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II. A Perspective on the implications of this MOU.

This MOU is extremely dangerous for teachers, and even though there was an SEA vote affirming it last January, that document was found illegal in court in July.

After careful study of both the MOU and its supporting documents, we find that, far from its advertised intent of allowing creative teaching, it instead is much more about abrogating important protections we have within the collective bargaining agreement.

One of the most egregious provisions requires all teachers who wish to retain their jobs at a “Creative Approach” schools to sign a kind of binding 3-year duration “loyalty oath”.

Failure to sign, even for a teacher with otherwise excellent evaluations, would result in displacement. Displacement in a district with many “Creative Approach” would would have to end in termination for many, as openings for displaced personnel shrinks.

There is at present a chance to stop this MOU in its present form if enough signatures of SEA represented folks are gathered, quickly.

SEA leadership intends that the new version of this MOU not come up for any new consideration of SEA membership, at any level.

III. A Printable Petition

We, the undersigned, do hereby express our specific and many concerns about the status of this Memorandum of Understanding, and urge all SEA represented staff to read and understand these documents and voice their concerns.

As the School Board’s legal counsel maintains the MOU allows any part of the existing contract to be superceded, we believe that this MOU must be placed for democratic approval before all voting members of the entire bargaining unit, including all certificated and classified staff.

As the MOU voted upon January of 2012 was found to be illegal and was “permanently enjoined” by the court, and therefore no longer exists as a legal document, we believe any new version of such MOU with new language must be placed for democratic approval before all voting members of the entire bargaining unit.

We believe the processes associated with the MOU in which staff must sign Compact Agreements in order to retain their positions represents an unfair labor practice. This MOU would ultimately result in staff being displaced and terminated simply for holding a minority opinion in their school.

Significant portions of the MOU are poorly written, and

• allow essentially unlimited privatization of services now provided by represented staff;

• suggest there are now opportunities for altered school year calendar and school schedule that the school district has heretofore been absolutely unable to allow or pay for;

• insist on cost-neutrality by passing along increased duties and work hours for staff without any planned district compensation; and

• seek to trade “creativity” in instruction in return for concessions to the collective bargaining agreement, a bargain which we believe constitutes an unfair labor practice.

We believe instructional creativity can be attained without sacrificing our contractual rights.

We call on SEA leadership to bring a new MOU and an accompanying Definition, Criteria, and

Process document to a democratic vote of the full membership.

Dated September 24, 2012