LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - A Little Rock teachers’ association is rejecting a proposal from the Arkansas Department of Education that would make it easier to fire teachers in low-performing schools in the district.
The Little Rock Education Association held a press conference before school Monday morning to oppose Education Commissioner Johnny Key’s directive that any agreement between the state and the union allow the state to waive some job protections for teachers in poorly rated schools.
Little Rock School District has been controlled by the state since 2015 because of low test scores in some schools.
The association met Sunday night to determine a “plan of action” but did not provide specifics. In a statement posted to social media, the association said its dissatisfaction had grown beyond the waiver directive.
“This is about the disrespect and disdain that has been shown to the Little Rock community since the takeover. The contract situation is just the latest in a series of slaps to the face that we have endured,” the group said in its social media statement.
The waiver would apply to teachers in Little Rock schools that the state has rated “D’’ or “F’’ schools.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson said teachers who are performing well don’t have to worry.
“Most of the teachers do an incredible job,” Hutchinson said. “The idea of the amendment to the union contract is simply that if we have a non-performing teacher, a bad teacher that’s not doing a good job, then it makes it a little bit easier to make a change.”
The district and the union are negotiating contracts for the 2018-2019 school year. Key recently rejected a tentative agreement between the district and the union.
Association president Teresa Knapp Gordon sent a letter to members Monday afternoon saying the association has not voted to strike and that it expects classes to be in session the remainder of the school year.
On Monday evening, Key said that following a meeting between union and school district representatives, he authorized Little Rock Superintendent Michael Poore to agree to a two-week extension of the original contract deadline, which was Wednesday.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.