Board Tables Vote on Passed Legislation

In the course of the last few months, the members of the Watchung Hills Regional High School Board of Education have been pretty forthcoming with their opinions on matters being voted on in Trenton.

They weighed in in favor of a bill to restore the "last, best offer" provisions of contract negotiations, and in support of a bill to end budget votes when proposed budgets are below the 2 percent cap on tax increases.

But when Board President Paul Seelig asked board members if they wanted to endorse a New Jersey School Boards Association message to Gov. Chris Christie asking him to veto Senate bill 1940, which would require school boards use any savings realized by renegotiating contracts be used to offset any planned staff reductions, some of the board members balked.

"We don't need to take a stand on this," board member Laura Mandell said. "I would much prefer we focus on our local issues."

The board members noted the bill is only waiting for the governor's signature, after passing through both houses of the legislature with substantial bipartisan support. Gov. Christie has not signed the bill yet, but has said he will.

Most members commented in favor of vetoing the bill in order to protect the board's ability to manage the district, but after much discussion, they voted to postpone acting on it until the April 19 meeting, by which time it may be a moot point. Members Sandra Fechtner, Robert Horowitz, Mandell, Louis Pepe and Bernard Yaged voted to postpone the vote, while Gerry Binder and Dr. Seelig voted against postponing the vote.

Before the board voted, Sean DiGiovanna, head of the school education association which represents most of the teachers and school staff, spoke out against the resolution urging the governor to veto the bill.

"Currently, under the law, we are unable to trade any concessions to save  jobs," he said. "Frankly, I can't think of any reason a local would open a contract, except to save jobs."

He also said many staff members were concerned by the board's recent spate of votes on various bills concerning schools and teacher contracts.

Dr. DiGiovanna was supported by a dramatic statement by History teacher James Carden, who said teachers in Montclair were surprised last year when their union agreed to contract cuts aimed at saving jobs, only to give up contract terms and still see members laid off.

He said he remembered a conversation with a retired techer who noted that students don't remember the hardware or technological devices they had in school, they remember their teachers. He said voting to veto Senate bill 1940 was sending a message to the district that says, in essence, hardware is more important than teachers.

"Hardware doesn't inspire; hardware can't empathize with students," Carden said.