Cary Dist. 26 places burden on union to save jobs

Cary Elementary District 26 placed the ball in the teacher's union's court Monday night, asking the union to agree to concessions for its members in exchange for saving some jobs.

The offer came as the district is attempting to slash $5.4 million from its 2010-11 budget. The school board is set to vote March 22 on laying off about 68 teachers, the equivalent of $4.2 million in salaries and benefits.

The administration on Monday presented three scenarios:

• Option one, the mildest, would freeze teacher pay next year and save five jobs and $530,000, according to the district.

• Option two would freeze pay and require teachers to pay 20 percent of individual medical coverage. The district currently pays 100 percent. This options would save eight jobs and $740,000.

• Option three would reduce teacher pay to 2009 levels, require teachers to pay 20 percent of medical coverage and save an estimated 17 jobs and $1.4 million.

The presentation sparked an outcry among teachers at the meeting at Cary Junior High, with teachers accusing the district of attempting to bargain in public, a charge district officials deny.

The board directed the administration to present the options to the union.

"It would basically allow us to lower our cost structure of all certified staff," said Chris Jenner, a board member and chairman of the finance committee. "By using the money saved, we would restore positions and programs."

The board also signed off on extending a salary freeze for administrators, including Superintendent Brian Coleman, for another year.

"I really appreciate the example they're trying to set," Jenner said. But he added: "That doesn't fix the deficit. You need a structural change in how the contracts are structured and potentially how administrators are assigned."

The board approved dramatic reductions earlier this year that include closing Maplewood School at the end of this year, increasing average class sizes to 31 students, reducing physical education in kindergarten through sixth grade, eliminating band in grades five through eight and cutting junior high choir.

Teachers are in the second year of a three-year contract. The union has declined a request from the district to reopen the contract, officials said.