Andover Teachers Respond To School Committee Declaring Impasse

ANDOVER, MA — The Andover teachers union's bargaining team accused the School Committee of creating an "illusion of bargaining" in a news release, Tuesday, after the committee declared an impasse in negotiations.

The district's reopening plans will continue, the administration said Monday, as allowed by a state-assigned mediator.

"It has been apparent from the School Committee’s initial “plan” that they did not feel obligated to meaningfully bargain with us at all, as they first attempted to declare impasse many sessions ago," the Andover Education Association said in its release.

The union and the Committee met 12 times and then spent a day with a state mediator, according to the district.

The union said it has asked to follow fire drill procedures when HVAC systems go downtown, as in the case of power outages, and that Schoology, the learning management system, be phased in over a 10 month timeline.

"The blatant disregard displayed by the Committee and Superintendent alike with regard to educator feedback, parental concerns, developmental appropriateness, accessibility and disability implications, and student experience is irresponsible in the extreme," the bargainers said.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.