The Cotati Rohnert Park Unified School District held its regular board meeting in the Rancho Cotate High School Theater, Arts and Gymnasium building on November 16. The 90 minute meeting mostly had routine reports and actions on the agenda. What was not on the agenda, however, was a discussion of the state of contract negotiations with the Rohnert Park Cotati Educators Association. That was the big story of this meeting. Between “Public comments – Items not on the agenda” and the Association’s report, a third of the meeting was devoted to this item.

Negotiations with the teachers’ union and the school district have been going on for months. They missed. Points of contention included salaries, failure to consider a multi-year contract or to plan for teachers by including a budget line for salary increases in the annual budget. Due to the stalemate, last month the two sides entered mediation. It also failed. The union has polled its members and more than 90 percent have authorized a strike if a deal is not reached. The next step in the process is an investigative hearing.

More than three dozen union members, family, friends and supporters again attended the meeting dressed in red in solidarity. RPCEA chief negotiator Jim Gregoretti led the public comments and used his time to explain the symbolism and history of wearing red. Other speakers followed with their stories, frustrations and anger. Stories spoke of their inability to live in the community where they teach, of having to rely on relatives or friends to cover their accommodation or living expenses, or of expressing what a day in their life looks like in the classroom. Frustrations included feeling disrespectful by the district’s contract offers, that once again they were put aside and not heard.

Anger was expressed in various ways. Attacks on Superintendent Mayra Perez and even the Board of Directors itself, though they praised Trustee Michelle Wing. One said that in times of teacher shortage, “you can’t afford to lose us, and we can’t afford to stay!” Another said that “I am waiting for a salary that allows me to live in this community”. Yet a third said they were told they were important to the success of the neighborhood, but that “your words now ring hollow.” Even a student, a senior from Rancho Cotate high school spoke. They said, “I’ve been listening to these board meetings for months,” and they were concerned that the teachers who helped them so much were not there to help those who follow them.

The threats to strike were not direct, but clearly implicit. One speaker said they were tired of having to fight. Let them not “ask for anything unreasonable”. Then we are “ready to show how tired we are from fighting.” The Association’s report dealt only with the failure of negotiations and mediation. Denise Tranfaglia, president of the board of directors of the union, submitted this report. She said she had given up hope and implored the council to sit with them and listen to them. To hopefully exercise leadership and scour the budget to find the money to meet their needs. She also hopes they will attend the fact-finding hearing. While the union and its supporters can present their point of view in public comments, the district and council are forced to respond to public comment by Brown Law.

In other board news, Principal Maya Russellnava of Evergreen Elementary School provided a 15-minute overview of restorative practices used at her school. She explained what it is, why it is used and how it works at Evergreen. It started as a pilot program during the 2017-2018 school year and has been going on ever since. She reported that we have “really seen good behavior based on this approach”. The council also ratified a temporary increase in the salary of substitute teachers. There is also a shortage of substitutes. According to Perez, last year they increased the salary from $ 130 per day to $ 150. They are now increasing the daily rate to $ 200 in hopes of attracting more substitutes to the district. They also approved the “Governance Manual” of the board of directors on which they have been working for several months.

In the Trustees and Superintendent’s closing reports, Mindy McKeon was thanked for her many years of service to the District. McKeon is retiring and this was his last meeting. She was the executive assistant in the office of the superintendent. In addition to words of praise and congratulations, she received a bouquet of flowers from Perez.