Another packed house greeted the members of the Lake Orion Community Schools Board of Education at its May 25 meeting. Proposed budget cuts for the 2011-12 school year, including potential layoffs and the ongoing Lake Orion Education Association contract negotiations were hot topics during the public comment portion.
‘Mutual trust and respect is needed, but recent decisions by the board have broke my trust and faith in this district,? said Orion Oaks Elementary teacher Sue Sirgany. ‘We always hear about the respect teachers have in our community, but actions speak louder than words.?
Oakview teacher Caroline Thompson agreed, ‘Compensate me fairly by bargaining in good faith. Show you are here for us and approve the contract that we fairly negotiated.?
In April, negotiated contract with teachers failed to gain board approval. A motion to accept the contract failed to pass, with three board members voting yes, and three, no.
Teachers have been without a contract since Dec. 31, 2010.