August 30, 2019
Dear Parents and Guardians in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District:
It is with a heavy heart that I must compose this letter to you today. Union leadership continues to threaten this community with a strike that they state could occur “as early as September 16.” I believe that the serious action of a strike initiated by union leadership is preventable and unnecessary. Please know that I have directed the school district’s negotiation team to work tirelessly to engage the unions to find a fiscally responsible compromise to reach a tentative agreement. However, in the unfortunate event that a few union leaders call for a strike, you as parents must be prepared and ready.
Now is the time for you to prepare contingency plans for your children. If union leaders call a strike, I will receive a 72-hour notice, and then be forced to place all of our schools into an EMERGENCY SCHOOLS CLOSURE (see attached document, “What Will Happen If There Is A Strike in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District?”). An EMERGENCY SCHOOLS CLOSURE consists of all 42 KPBSD schools, and includes all before and after school activities, sports, Connections Homeschool, charter and alternative schools, distance delivery programs, community school activities, pools, and any rentals or usage of school facilities. The emergency closure includes Boys and Girls Club activities in any KPBSD school or facility.
Specific to sports and activities, the unions are trying to assert that it is “the district’s choice to cancel sports.” This is not true. If there is a strike, the members of those unions will no longer be providing the educational and supporting services that they agreed to provide in their respective negotiated agreements. In addition, the teachers’ negotiated agreement includes the terms and conditions of employment for coaches and activity sponsors. The strike will cripple the school district’s ability to continue its critical and core reason for existence—the education of our students. As a result, I will have no option except to initiate a closure of all schools and all school activities.
Union leaders cannot dictate which contractual obligations of their negotiated agreement they will or will not perform. Therefore, a strike is a union leadership decision that requires a school district plan and response. If union leadership calls the strike, this will deny the educational community of its right to a public education and will result in the closure of all schools and all activities that occur in or on school facilities.
My efforts are intently focused on reaching an agreement. Any decision to strike is solely the decision of union leaders. The school district remains willing to meet as often and as long as necessary to find a fiscally responsible compromise to reach a tentative agreement and avoid an unnecessary strike.
With hopefulness,
John O’Brien
Superintendent of Schools,
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
PDF: 8.30.19 Superintendent O’Brien Letter to KPBSD Parents and Guardians about Potential Strike
6 thoughts on “Superintendent O'Brien Letter to KPBSD Parents and Guardians about Potential Strike”
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What a load of crap from the superintendent. There’s been no contract for 2 years.
What an embarrassing statement from the acting superintendent.
I can see many other parents are reading your letter and seeing the malicious intent that seems to be behind it. You act very hands off from the issues, that I invite you to actually watch the negotiations for yourself, since you clearly do not seem to know what is actually happening in them. I also suggest you to take a “kinder” stance towards your employees, just as you preach that they should instill these lessons in their students.
In the latest district in-service, that every member of the district attended, I believe that the statement “How can we take care of the kids if we first don’t take care of ourselves” and the metaphor of “first secure your own breathing device before helping others on a plane” were used. I think we can all see now that these were merely buzz words.
Perhaps you have been away from the classroom too long, Mr. O’Brien. I’m sure you could tour one of the many schools you now administer.
This was clearly written by your negotiating consultants and lawyers in a lame attempt to split the teachers away from the “Union Leadership”. Don’t forget, the teachers and staff voted to strike by an overwhelming majority.
Your pathetic attempt to toss in the sports strawman is another typical tactic by contract lawyers, to try to divide out another group from the upcoming strike.
You can do better than this, John. What a sad way to begin your “career” as a Superintendent.
I listened to your precanned interview on the radio the other day, where you spouted all the expected platitudes about “caring” for the children, the community, the hard working families, etc. Except, apparently, when it comes to your own employees.
I can’t wait to see you moved on, by the next Board, for lack of confidence in your leadership “abilities”.
The teachers have been trying to resolve this for over 560 days. This smear against ‘union leadership’ is off the mark and is a blatant attempt to jade the community. The 800+ unhappy employees voted to strike. The union is obligated to support their choice.
Perhaps if our teachers & support staff weren’t so poorly paid and also separately overcharged for insurance, for years on end, and having been forced to negotiate for two school years..things might have been different. But, this letter is evidence of the level of disregard that they have endured for far too long.
Let it be known that this district has teachers whose families qualify for WIC, reduced lunches, and medicaid. Let it be known that we have employees who have to cut checks to their employer to pay for health care. Let it be known that this district has chased off over 300 employees already and more are poised to do so.
Stop ducking accountability for the mess the district has created.
Stop hiding behind your attorney.
The employees requests are reasonable.
Don’t take this out on the kids or their teachers.
So what exactly do the teachers sign in the spring or upon accepting employment within the district. Do they not agree to do their job as hired? Isn’t not doing so a breach of their agreement with the district?
No one wins in this situation. Blame should be equally shared by both sides. If unhappy why sign that agreement to provide education for the children. As far as administration goes, why are we even close to this situation? Why has the communication broken down? Why threaten to lock out the kids or cancel their activities if wanting to keep positive communication open. Both sides lose with this.
In closing if we have lost overall numbers of students being educated over the last 2 decades, why hasn’t cost been cut by an equal percentage? Seems all are happy to fleece the taxpayer and threaten to do more by closing our education institutions.
Make teaching great again