The union representing Ann Arbor schoolteachers and district officials will meet with a state appointed mediator this morning. Teachers are working without a contract for the first time in 32 years.
Ann Arbor Education Association President Fred Klein says talks have progressed very little which is why a mediator was called in. He says it’s been frustrating and teachers aren’t feeling appreciated.
Klein says some of the concessions the district wants are harmful to both teachers and students.
“When they talk about things like taking away planning time, so that means teachers have less time to be well-prepared to teach lessons for their students. When they talk about increasing class sizes, that means less individual attention that teachers can give to students.”
Superintendent Jazz Parks says they greatly admire their educators and are committed to competitive wages. But she adds that has to be balanced with the financial health of the district as it recovers from the previous budget crisis.
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