Schools
Patch Poll: Is 109 Trying to Harm DEA?
Some readers charge the school board with union busting. Is the District being frugal with taxpayer money? You can tell Patch what you think?
(DEA) teacher’s union President Dennis Jensen stopped short of accusing Deerfield Public Schools District 109 of trying to dismantle the DEA but some Patch readers were blunter.
“They have no interest in negotiating and will probably ,” reader John Russillo wrote as a comment to a recent Patch story about the ongoing negotiations.
Jensen was more muted when questioned by Patch, but is concerned about the future of the DEA. “They seem to want this to be a one-sided relationship,” Jensen said Thursday. “They’ve made a decision they want us to follow their direction with no negotiation or collective bargaining.”
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School Board Ellen London was quick to deny the Board had any intent to harm the union. “Nothing could be further from the truth,” she said.
What do Patch readers think? Is the District trying to water down the DEA or is it engaging in hard bargaining on behalf of the taxpayers and citizens of the Village? Tell everyone what you think by taking the unscientific Patch poll at the bottom of this story.
Find out what's happening in Deerfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
While both the union and the Board have recognized the major issues are compensation, special education and teacher evaluations, some readers think once compensation is determined, a deal will be reached.
“Most strikes are about money, and I would think that the teachers would only strike over money,” writes Marvin Stein. “Their last public offer was nineteen percent over three years. The teachers are great, but not at any price.”
The complete public positions of both sides are not common knowledge but as Russillo points, “We’ll know soon enough.” The last and final offer from both sides is due to the mediator by Thursday and they must be published by March 22.
so the community could learn where the parties stood.