When Rep. Tony Klein (D-East Montpelier) introduced a bill this month to create one statewide contract for teachers, he spared the details. Klein says his goal is get the conversation started so that teachers are paid equitably across the state, and local school boards can stop spending their time negotiating short-term contracts.
But the Vermont-NEA, the union that represents teachers, says the idea is a non-starter because it would take educational freedom and local control away from communities. They also don’t see how the premise could be funded.
VPR’s Jane Lindholm discusses the idea of creating a statewide teachers contract with Rep. Klein and with Martha Allen, president of the Vermont-NEA.