PHOTOS: Teachers Show Up in Force at Tinton Falls Board of Ed Meeting Monday Night

Seating was limited Monday night at the Tinton Falls Board of Education meeting as teachers from all three district schools filled the auditorium at the Mahala F. Achison School wearing red shirts to protest the failure to reach a contract agreement in almost two years.

“This has nothing to do with respect for our teachers,” Board President Peter Kavavites told the crowd, composed predominantly of teachers. “It has everything to do with what Trenton has put upon us.”

What Karavites is referring to are the significant cuts made in state aid to the district—in 2010-2011 aid was cut by $1.4—as well as the recently implemented 2 percent cap placed on the proposed tax levy. According to the district Web site, state aid for the 2011-2012 school year is down 31 percent from what had been anticipated.

Tinton Falls Education Association President Cherie Ronan used the district’s motto, “Together toward tomorrow,” as a theme in her statement Monday to the board. She said the association wanted to use that idea as a “springboard” for conciliation but found the board “stifle(d) positive attempts” made by the teachers including being denied access to the district’s Web site. She was met with a standing ovation at the end of her statement.

Karavites replied, “We want to bring as many of you with us towards tomorrow. It’s not a threat, it’s a budget and it’s what we have to do.”

He said that the board’s goal is to preserve as many programs, staff and class size as possible next year in the face of at least a $1 million shortfall.

The two sides will meet on Feb. 17 in what they hope is the final phase of negotiating—super conciliation, with assistance by a neutral party—after reaching an impasse during the mediation, arbitration and fact-finding stages. The fact-finder's report was delivered to the district on Nov. 12 and neither side was able to agree with its recommendations.

With the 2 percent tax levy, Karavites said that the district’s budget could only increase by about $340,000, which includes costs like busing, heating and electricity. The teachers’ contracts, he said, “are by far the biggest line item within our budget.”

Karavites said that all late busing, co-curricular activities and sports programs would be cut from the upcoming budget. Cuts would also be made in budgets of individual school and between seven and eight staff positions would be eliminated.

Ronan, who is a sixth grade teacher, questioned why out of the 35 other surrounding districts that went into negotiations at the same time as Tinton Falls, they alone continue to work under a contract that expired in June 2008 while all other districts have settled.

According to a letter posted on the district’s Web site, the association is seeking a four-year deal at 4.75 percent, 4.25 percent, 3.75 percent and 3.5 percent with full retroactivity. The board proposed a three-year deal at 2 percent, 0 percent and 2 percent.

Karavites noted that school administrators and secretaries have taken a 0 percent raise for the upcoming year. Teachers are operating under conditions set in the old contract, with all pay increases frozen, and pay 1.5 percent of their salaries into their health benefits.

“The Board of Ed realizes that our teachers are our biggest resource,” said Karavites. “That’s why we are being as stalwart as we are—we do not want to lay off teachers.”

The board will hold a budget presentation on March 7 and a hearing on March 28. The budget will be voted on by the public on April 27.