Shocking Display at School Committee Meeting of Sept 10th

I attended tonight's school committee meeting where I had an opportunity to speak on 3 different topics. Afterwards I stayed in the hall to listen to a number of agenda items being discussed. I'm glad I did because the committee was going to vote on the management contract with the teachers on the agenda item entitled, "MEA Contract Ratification Update". I thought that they were going to just give us a progress update but Ms. Taymore explained that the proposed contract was signed last Weds.....and now the school committee needs to sign it TONIGHT! This is despite no one on the committee having seen the completed contract! Mayor Dolan and Margaret Driscoll from the school committee sat in those deliberations and told the full committee that the contract is almost the same as last year, about 99% the same so there was no reason to wait. Ms. Kourkoumelis objected saying that the committee has a fiduciary responsibility to know what the exact wording of the contract is BEFORE approving it. Ms. Taymore explained that she was under pressure to begin teacher training for the new teacher evaluations which are under a very tight schedule and that any delay signing the contract would impact the agreed to schedule of completing the teacher evaluations. I certainly have empathy for her situation but it is very poor practice for any organization to approve contracts without reviewing them.....this is just not appropriate thing to do for an important city committee, where the city is liable for a contract that goes for 3 years!

It's hard to believe but they went ahead and voted for a contract that they have never seen in its entirety...the only committee person who voted against it was Carrie Kourkoumelis....asking that they delay approving it until they all got to read the contract. The "final touches" are only now being made to the contract.

Folks....if you ask me....this is a rogue SC!