DC Teachers Say Imposition of Extended School Year Violates Contracts

The Washington Teachers’ Union is opposing the unilateral imposition of an extended school year. "While the Washington Teachers’ Union and its members are not against extended learning opportunities for students, the union is opposed to the manner in which the Mayor and DCPS unilaterally imposed the extended year plan in violation of the collective bargaining agreement between the WTU and the school district—as well as the school district’s CBA with three other unions," WTU Local 6 said on Friday. The other unions are the Council of School Officers Local 4, Teamsters 639 and AFSCME District Council 20. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and School Chancellor Kaya Henderson announced on Feb. 3 that D.C. Public Schools would extend the school year for ten schools in the 2016-2017 school year. WTU is urging supporters to sign a petition calling on Mayor Bowser and DCPS to bargain in good faith with the unions. "We want our children to have a better school year, not a longer one," said WTU president Liz Davis.
photo: Davis at January 15 "Read-Aloud" honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.; photo courtesy WTU Facebook page.

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