Arbitrator Says School District Disregarded Seniority When Rehiring Laid-Off Counselors
By Mike DeNardo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- An arbitrator says the Philadelphia School District violated the teachers contract when it disregarded seniority when rehiring laid-off counselors two years ago.
The arbitrator ruled that not only did the district improperly bypass seniority in hiring-back laid-off counselors in 2013, but that the district also failed to assign at least one counselor to each school as the PFT contract requires.
"That language was something that our members fought to have in the contract because prior to that, we had some schools that did not have counselors," said Union president Jerry Jordan.
That means every school could have a counselor this fall if the ruling stands. That's a big "if." The district plans to appeal to Common Pleas Court, says spokesman Fernando Gallard.
"We will seek an immediate stay, to minimize the disruptive effect the remedy will have on students and schools."
Gallard says if the district has to hire 29 more counselors to ensure one in each school, it would cost $3.4 million -- money he says the district doesn't have.