At a time when Pennsylvania is facing a teacher shortage that’s critical and worsening, the Freeport Area School District should be respecting teachers and the legally binding contract that the district negotiated with teachers, not dragging people into court when they were sick or hurt and need to take the time off they worked for and bargained in their contract.
I was shocked to see the article ”Teacher’s surgery recovery at center of lawsuit between Freeport Area School District and union” (Jan. 13, TribLive). When teachers bargain their union contract with the district, the district decides whether or not to agree to specific language about all benefits, including exactly how time off to recover after a surgery and Family and Medical Leave Act time are used. The district violated the contract, the issue went through the legal process and an arbitrator agreed the district had violated the legally binding union contract language.
We tell our kids not to be sore losers. But the district is trying to sue their way out of having to follow the rules and the law. They need to set a better example for our kids, follow the rules and the law like everyone else, and respect the teachers who dedicate their lives to educating students.
Nikki Kemp
Lawrenceville