Newton Mayor Responds To Teacher Protest

NEWTON, MA — Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller responded to a City Hall protest of about 300 Newton teachers looking for a new contract Wednesday morning with a public letter stating that that the teachers "need and deserve a fair contract now" and that she will do all she can to settle the dispute. Fuller said that she offered to meet with representatives from the Newton Teachers Association at the protest, but that the offer was declined.

"While we will not be able to agree to everything that you have put on the table," she said in the letter, "I will meet with your leadership, and the leadership of the School Committee, and look at everything, and work with everyone to figure this out."

The protest came around 8:30 a.m. on the first day of the new school year for teachers and lasted about one hour. Superintendent David Fleishman canceled the traditional opening day ceremony at Newton South where there would have been a forum for teachers to make a similar statement. Instead, they took it public as they lined the lawn outside of City Hall wearing red Newton Teachers Association T-shirts and holding signs that included the slogans "Support Newton Educators For Better Schools" and "Don't Run Away On Opening Day."

"Our schools are the heart and soul of Newton," Fuller responded. "You, the educators, are the heart and soul of our schools. I came out here today because I wanted to be sure that I could hear you — loud and clear. I have been listening closely to you, not just today, but in the days and months leading up to today. I read the postcards you sent. I see your signs."

The union has been negotiating a new contract for a year after a bridge, one-year contract was signed last year. The current contract expires Aug. 30.

"We don't want business as usual," NTA President Mike Zilles told Patch last week. "There's this culture in Newton of protracted contract negotiations where we don't seem to be able to agree on a new contract before the current one expires and we go on for a year or two. People really get demoralized by that."

Fuller said that she understands the frustration of starting a new school year without a contract, but that aspects of the budget allocation are complicating the negotiations.

"Since 2004, we have welcomed more than 1,480 students to our schools," she said. "We needed to provide more teachers, aides, special (education) services, transportation and classrooms for all those students. While it is only one factor, enrollment has a big impact on the budget allocation. We now have had two years when the enrollment increases have leveled off, and even declined. That matters when we put together a budget allocation."

She said the School Committee asked her to put together a "floor" for the school allocation in coming years when she became mayor last year and determined she could guarantee a 3.25 increase each year regardless of outside economic conditions. The school budget's historical average during the past 20 years has gone up about 4.6 percent, according to Zilles.

"I know that you are dedicated to our students and your craft," she said. "I am dedicated to settling the fairest and most equitable contract that Newton can sustain, a contract that works for our educators, for our students and for our community. We need to do this as soon as possible."

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