Andover teachers concerned about layoffs months after strike ended
ANDOVER - Even though the Andover teacher strike ended months ago, its aftereffects remain the center of debate between the school committee and teachers.
Right now, the Andover School Committee is focused on its proposed budget for the 2024-2025 academic year. It's a $103 million proposal that currently faces a $2.7 million deficit. The committee is tasked with closing that difference and has proposed changes to pre-school tuition, non-salary line items (office or classroom supplies), and staffing reductions.
That last point is what brought out more than 100 Andover teachers to the committee's Thursday night meeting. Teachers filled the room to capacity and spilled into an overflow room where many watched the meeting on a screen. The school committee stated publicly during the strike in November, that the demands the union was asking for, and ultimately agreed to, would surpass the capabilities of the committee's budget and that cuts were inevitable.
One teacher expressed concern over what a reduction in teachers would do to class sizes. "Each of those students deserves this individualized attention but with more students in our classes it becomes exceedingly difficult to provide students with what they need and deserve," the teacher said.
One parent spoke on the predicament the school committee found themselves in and said, "Cuts are going to happen. We need to do them. I just hope you listen to the teachers on where those cuts should be made."
There are lingering questions about what positions or departments might take a hit if personnel are let go. The union's leadership was quick to point out their view that a public input session on potential impacts that are not yet clear seemed counterproductive. "We are sort of wondering how the community is supposed to weigh in when the school committee and department are not telling us who is going to be cut," said Andover Teachers Union President Matt Bach.
For its part, the five school committee members pushed back on the idea that the proposed cuts were retaliation for the union's illegal strike in November. School committee chair Tracey Spruce said, "The legal definition of retaliation is reprisal for engaging in lawfully protected activity. That's not what happened here."
Committee member Emily DiCesaro said, "I think it is important to remember It's our community that finds itself in this situation. And how we got here is not a surprise."
There were no decisions made on the school's budget during Thursday's meeting. The committee will vote on a budget to turn over to the Andover Town Manager on March 7.