Andover Schools Calls Teachers' Actions 'Illegal Work Stoppage'

ANDOVER, MA — The Andover School Committee will discuss litigation options after teachers refused to enter buildings for the first day of professional development Monday.

The Andover Education Association said Friday its members voted to begin the school year working only remotely in light of the coronavirus pandemic, even after the School Committee approved a plan for some in-person learning at the start. Teachers gathered outside Andover High School Monday morning for what the union called a "workplace safety action."

>>Andover Teachers Union Votes To Begin School Year Working Remotely

"The Andover Education Association might believe this is a 'workplace safety action,'" district spokeswoman Nicole Kieser said in a statement. "It is, in fact, considered an illegal work stoppage. The Andover School Committee will meet in executive session at 4:30 p.m. this afternoon to discuss options for litigation, based on today’s activity by the AEA. Professional development in our school buildings for our educators will continue on Tuesday, September 1st."

Patch requested comment from the union and will update this story as soon as its available.

In its statement Friday, the union asked for third-party documentation of the safety of the buildings and attributed its decision to Superintendent Sheldon Berman and the School Committee's "lack of good-faith bargaining over how to maintain the health and safety of educators and students in the reopening of schools."

"It is simply not safe at this time for students and staff to be working together in crowded settings inside these buildings," said Matthew Bach, president of the Andover Education Association. "Members have decided they will not risk the health and safety of students, staff, or the community by walking into buildings that for decades have been underfunded, understaffed, and poorly maintained while a global pandemic continues to affect Essex County, the state, and our country."

The union called for public negotiation sessions, which the district declined.

Kieser said the district's plans prioritize staff and student safety.

"Over the summer, the Andover School Committee, all district administrators and the Return to School Task Force spent thousands of hours and invested hundreds of thousands of dollars planning for the 2020-21 school year with health and safety of our students and staff as a top priority," Kieser said. "Today’s action by the Andover Education Association (AEA) shows a disregard for our families and students, who have confidence in the district’s work to ensure our buildings are safe for our students and staff.

"The AEA’s actions appear to align more with the state’s union leadership than with the needs of our students, especially where the administration and school committee representatives have provided the AEA with reliable information that all of our school buildings are safe and ready to be occupied."

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.