CENTRVILLE — Upwards of 200 individuals gathered at the Queen Anne’s County Public Schools Board of Education building in solidarity of Queen Anne’s County Education Association members raising their voices against proposed employee layoffs as the board held a closed executive session Aug. 20.
“We teach our students to collaborate and talk together, well, let’s walk the walk,” Education Association President Cecilia Mitchell said about the assembly.
Marching from Centreville Elementary School to the building at 202 Chesterfield Avenue, teachers, parents, students, supporters and members of the education union wore “red for ed” against cuts proposed in an effort to balance the district’s budget.
According to the meeting’s agenda on the board website, the closed session was held “To consult with counsel to obtain legal advice; To conduct collective bargaining negotiations or consider matters that relate to the negotiations.”
Creating “joyful noise,” as Mitchell put it, the rally attendees carried signs of support for school staff and verbally chanted against cuts. In front of the building, participants inscribed chalk messages on the sidewalk.
“People love the school systems here. The future lives in that building,” Mitchell said, pointing to nearby Centreville Elementary.
“It’s deeply frustrating that QACPS wants to cut some of our lowest-paid educators who work directly with our students, and at the start of the year, no less. We don’t know how many people, or what job titles,” Mitchell said in a statement ahead of Tuesday’s rally. “There are any number of ways to deal with budget problems, but not if you won’t talk to your educators.”
According to a press release issued by the Association, they were notified on Aug. 14 of the potential layoffs of “an unknown number of QACPS support staff, who are among the lowest-paid employees in QACPS.”
The Association seeks the superintendent and school board to address the budget shortfall before pushing it on to employees, Mitchell said.
The layoffs announcement came after the school district asked Queen Anne’s County educators on Aug. 12 to accept five unpaid furlough days during the 2024-25 school year.
The educators association said they asked for documentation to justify the furloughs and were “sent no response nor documentation, and then refused to meet on any of the dates offered to discuss the matter.”
Seeking budget transparency, the Association has filed a formal information request, with questions including where the money was going, and what is being done that doesn’t involve cutting positions, according to Mitchell.
“So, we just have two questions for Dr. Saelens. First, why are you asking us to cut our salaries if you won’t ask the county for additional funding, and second, why won’t QACPS answer our questions about the budget crisis like the law requires?” Mitchell said.
Other measures needed to be exhausted first before the proposed Reduction In Force and layoffs of essential support staff, she said.
Mitchell highlighted the effect layoffs would have on the livelihood of support staff, who ensure the optimal running of the school, while making up the smallest portion of school system employees, “And they make the least amount of money,” she said.
According to a statement from Superintendent Patricia Saelens, the school system sought to balance the budget through attrition.
Saelens noted the “severely underfunded Blueprint For Maryland’ Schools, coupled with overall inflation has created a recipe of frustration” — a deficit that Queen Anne’s County is not alone in facing, she said.
As a result of that lack of attrition there is still a current shortfall of two million dollars. Saelens wrote in a letter to staff on Aug. 19, “This summer, we have worked to do a detailed budget analysis and determine what could be cut to put those funds into salaries. We have identified numerous items to help reduce the budget shortfall. We will cut scanning, tutoring and locally funded conferences. We will reduce our legal line item. We will cut school block grants by 10%.”
Additionally Saelens wrote the district is canceling the Cenergistic Energy contract, and repurposing the staff tuition reimbursement line. “While these measures will help, it is simply not enough to balance the budget,” she stated, “Under Maryland Law, a local board of education is prohibited from carrying a budget deficit.”
Saelens contends the district met with the union on July 18 and 31 to discuss a retirement incentive and potential furlough days. The retirement incentive was not successful as only two employees took advantage, still leaving them under the attrition necessary to balance the budget.
Together with the union, Saelens said they selected dates that purposely would not impact student days. “We also determined the proposed furlough days would be for all employee units, including the superintendent and all administrative staff. These proposed five days would have avoided the need to reduce any member of our staff,” she said, “We know that each of our employees are vital to the successes of students. It was our intention to keep our staff whole.”
Saelens said they provided the union with all the information they requested within 24 hours, meeting again on Aug. 6 and sharing a draft MOU regarding proposed furlough days.
Given the upcoming start of the school year, we requested that they provide us with their decision by Aug. 12, Saelens said. The union responded in writing informing leadership that they “formally decline Queen Anne’s County Public Schools proposal of furlough days for the 2024-2025 school year”.
As a result, Reduction In Force (RIF) letters were issued on Aug. 14, in accordance with the RIF process outlined in the negotiated agreement, Saelens concluded.
Whether proposed furlough dates or RIF, the teacher’s union has a ratified contract based on an offer the BOE presented to the union that was accepted, according to Mitchell.
“We must take care of each other,” she said.
Showing support for fellow union members and district bus drivers, Tony Mansfield stated the rally was a “good start” and sought collaborative efforts to come up with a budget that does not include reductions and a solution that honors the contract ratified in June.
School psychologist Julie Rock, of Matapeake Middle School and Kent Island Elementary School, stated it was her job to advocate for students and the rally highlighted the invaluableness of the various support needed within the walls of the schools. “Right now, the students that need us the most are going to be losing the support,” Rock said.
Standing alongside QACEA was Lori Hrinko, President of Cecil County Classroom Teachers Association. “This isn’t about you wanting more, this is about what’s right for our kids,” Hrinko told the crowd.
Hrinko encouraged everyone to be involved in their school districts, as students represented the future generations.
QACEA is a local affiliate of the Maryland State Education Association (MSEA), which in turn is an affiliate of the National State Education Association, and Mitchell voiced appreciation of the organizations’ support.
Working to promote change through action, Mitchell hoped to inspire students of all ages and showcase that change is possible.
Mitchell noted issues cannot be addressed by avoiding dialog or shifting blame, “Problems can only be solved with conversation, creative solutions and direct contact,” she said.
Moving forward, Mitchell seeks to have all groups unite with the same underlying goal: identify the best interests for the good of students. “[Working] together; real numbers, real decisions,” Mitchell said.
More information about QACEA can be found at https://qacea.org.
The Board of Education will next meet for a regular meeting Sept. 4 at 6 p.m.
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