Central Regional School Meeting: A Pep Rally For Teachers

by Patricia A. Miller

There were cheers, hoots, boos, standing ovations and even some foot stomping on the bleachers in the Central Regional Middle School gymnasium on Thursday night.

The audience was a sea of neon-yellow T-shirts, worn by faculty members as a show of unity. Students perched on the gym bleachers, and later lined up and waited patiently in a very long line to speak at the microphone.

And most had the same message - pay faculty members what they deserve and end the contract impasse. They spoke of flat salaries and decreased take-home pay because of higher medical insurance costs.

"We are being asked to accept a raise that is lower than any other school in Ocean County," biology teacher Susan Hopson told the board. "The only way to improve your bottom line is to keep your employees really happy."

The Central Regional high school and middle school teachers have been working without a contract since last June 30. They began negotiations at the end of December 2014. Faculty members have stopped volunteering to chaperone traditional events, like the annual art show and the dodgeball tournament until there is a settlement.

That has angered some parents and students, who say the students are caught in the middle and should not lose traditional events.

Audience members were limited to five minutes of speaking time and 90-minute limit for the entire public comment period.

Senior Danielle Trotta said the teachers she has had during her time at Central have served as role models, inspirations and mentors.

"Teaching is their passion," she said. "These teachers deserve more than what you are offering."

Another teacher said many faculty members live in the sending district towns and understand that Berkeley has weathered a number of hardships, especially Superstorm Sandy.

One teacher said her family lived in a camper after Sandy until they could move back into their home.

"We are Central Regional," she said. "We are part of this community. We are not doing this to take anything away from you."

Bayville resident Karen Wall Bush said the issue is unfairly affecting the students.

"I have one message for all of you," she said. "Stop putting our kids in the middle. The cancellation of the art show, the military ball and the dodgeball fundraiser are doing nothing but upsetting our kids and distracting them when they need to be focused on school. Threats that were made to students regarding the possible cancellation of the proms, trips and more are unconscionable. And asking our kids to sign and circulate petitions is an outrage."

The contract gridlock has resulted in the matter going to fact finding before the state Public Employment Relations Commission. A date has yet to be set for the first session, Central Regional Education Association President Michael Mannion has said.

Carol Cousins - who taught in the Lakewood school district for 37 years and served as head of the Lakewood Education Association -urged the district to settle the contract.

"When a teacher is happy, the kids are happy," she said.

Both Mannion and Central Regional Business Administrator Kevin O'Shea have said they cannot go into detail about the impasse in the contract negotiations, since the matter has now gone to the state Public Employment Relations Commission's fact-finding process.

But Mannion did say the problems center around less take-home pay over the past few years and higher contributions to health care.