5 Things That Happened at the Troy School Board Meeting

1. The Troy Education Association staged a protest prior to the meeting which drew some 450 teachers and community members outside of Athens High School. Teachers are protesting negotiations between the district and union on a new contract following the expiration of its previous contract in June after months of negotiations.

2. The board honored 16 all-state athletes across five sports from Athens and Troy High Schools, as well as the roster of the Troy High girls varsity soccer team, which won its state division championship in June.

3. Over 10 public comments spoke in support of the union, including this one by Royal Oak Education Association President Sidney Kardon: “There’s a general cynicism in the state legislature that devalues education. I’m convinced that its long-term purpose is to convert public schools into private and profit-making entities. One of the rationales that it relies on is that unionism is somehow undermining public education because union teachers are expensive,” Kardon said. “We see that anti-union notion at play here in Troy.”

4. The board approved probationary contracts for 26 new teachers at 16 schools. Jasen Witt, the district assistant superintendent, announced that 62 new teachers had been hired for the 2013-14 school year.

5. Witt continued with an update to negotiations from the district's perspective. He said that mediation sessions which started in May continued through the summer with two sessions currently scheduled in September. “We recognize the importance of bringing these negotiations to a resolution as soon as possible. We remain committed to doing so in good faith,” he said.