Teachers Walk Out of Board Meeting, Parents Unimpressed

Smithtown Teachers Association President Richard Forzano stayed at Tuesday's school board meeting long enough to accuse the board of hindering negotiations before leading a walk-out of the hundreds of teachers in attendance – an expected move that frustrated parents and school officials.

In a five minute speech in the West High School auditorium Tuesday night, Forzano pointed fingers at the Smithtown School District for claiming teachers are failing to negotiate or offer concessions as the district faces tough decisions for the 2011-2012 school budget.

 “This sadly is necessary because certain members of this board in my opinion would rather create false impressions about the STA than have the facts speak for themselves," Forzano said during Tuesday nights speech.

It's a sentiment he echoed in a phone interview on Wednesday.

“I’ve sat there at meetings, I go to every single meeting, and there are certain board members who have told blatant lies,” he said. “I wanted to state facts and clear the air for the community to understand that contrary to what certain board members say that STA is refusing to negotiate or the STA refused to open the contract two years ago and the STA is refusing to give any concessions, those are just flat out lies."

The district is currently looking for ways to avoid harsh program cuts as Albany pulled much of the state aid it had been receiving in prior school years. However, the board has not floated any specific plans regarding teacher pay.

Forzano added that the walkout was to display teacher unity.

Forzano also said the lies continued Tuesday night, stating Board of Education Vice President Joseph Saggese lied about the district paying retiree health insurance at a rate of 40 percent over the New York State minimum.

But despite the teacher's desplay of unity, community members were annoyed by the walk-out.

“I think it’s embarrassing for everyone that was here, I think it was embarrassing for the kids, it was just such a poor example,” said Smithtown resident Kevin McCrudden. “They want to talk about professionalism but to walk out of a school board meeting in that way really showed a lack of class. It was terrible.”

Mark Slavinski of Nesconset, who was one of the 25 community speakers at the meeting, said after the meeting that the priority of the teachers isn’t the students.

“I’d like for every one of them to go to their classrooms tomorrow, look their students in the eyes and tell them their checking accounts are more important than their students education,” he said.

Although the community members in attendance were unaware of the STA’s intentions on leaving after Forzano’s speech, Superintendent Edward Ehmann knew of the walkout prior to Tuesday’s meeting, which prompted the school board to move the meeting to the auditorium from the usual location at the Joseph A. Barton Building on New York Avenue.

“He [Forzano] had the courtesy of telling us that he was doing it, it wasn’t a surprise and he had his reasons,” Ehmann said. “We moved the venue to make sure everyone had the ability to hear the meeting and he said that after his statement he was going to vacate the arena with his group.”

Ehmann added the actions of the teachers were not upsetting and should not weigh on people’s minds too heavily.

“If the executive leadership decided to show the unity, so be it, it doesn’t concern me. I’ve tried not to tune in to theatrics,” he said. “I know that there’s a lot of commentary that occurs in a public session that people make for a point, but I don’t think that tonight’s assembly is something to be overly concerned about.”

Forzano said he is aware people in attendance Tuesday night were displeased with the walk-out and wants the content of his speech to be remembered.

“I understand that after we left that the intent was not well received by quite a few people … it wasn’t meant in any way, shape or form to disrespect anybody,” he said. “I hope that people upset about all of us leaving together doesn’t overshadow the purpose of the speech.”