Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/498229
The school was originally called Modoc Charter School. Like many char- ters, it promised teachers freedom, creativity, and an opportunity to make a difference in young lives. Teachers were eager to teach at the Shasta County campus. They were told they didn't need a union because they would be treated well. And they believed that to be true, until the behavior of school director Patricia Dougherty became increasingly abusive. Dougherty, who declined an interview request for this article, reminded teachers constantly of their at-will status. Teachers say that she would talk aloud in the hallway about how she felt like firing certain employees. Every day, teachers increasingly feared their jobs were on the line. Teachers say that if they called in sick or had an emergency, Dougherty refused to hire substitutes and said it was their responsibility to find a colleague to cover for them. Teachers say she increased class sizes substantially without warning. Some were dismayed to learn that the school had a pay scale that was not based on seniority, hours worked or even evaluations, but instead decided by Dougherty without expla- nation. One full-time teacher was shocked to learn that she was making nearly the same salary as a half-time teacher. Teachers were considered to be full-time, half-time, or somewhere in between based on the number of independent studies students they oversaw. And if Dougherty was unhappy with teachers, she withheld new students, say teachers. In one case, a teacher went from a full-time position to half-time, with his pay slashed. "I had half of my 26 students graduate or move away last year, and Dr. Dougherty didn't give me any more students, leaving me as a half-time teacher," says APLEA member Mark Youmans, who has taught a number of classes including geography, U.S. government, economics and geography. "That is one of her ways of pushing a teacher to quit without actually dealing with them in a professional manner." Teachers say they worked without lunch breaks, despite school ending between 4 and 5 p.m. Several said they were only allowed 10 minutes to eat lunch. "Worst of all, we felt like we had lost our voice," says Youmans. "Our opinions were not being valued when it came to curriculum, class structure or schedules. There was no sense of fairness. There were no rules. No one was ever evaluated. And we heard we were 'at-will employees' over and over again like it was a mantra." Youmans, like Woodson, was also fired without just cause. Over time, the school became a hostile environment, says Wendy McBroome, a Spanish teacher who describes APL as a place where teachers keep their heads down in the hallway and scurry to class to avoid hostility. Indeed, what started as a "dream school" founded by teachers six years ago gradually became a nightmare. Things became so unbearable that teachers reached out to CTA to form their own union. The teachers filed with the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) in November, and in December the school board voted to recognize their chapter. Twenty-one teachers out of 31 signed the petition to unionize. Shortly after the new CTA chapter was recognized by the school board (which Dougherty serves on), five teachers who joined the union were fired. It was before a contract could be approved — and members are still without a contract. "All we want is a fair contract, fair and equitable treat- ment for all staff, and a say in decision making," says McBroome, who serves on the organizing team. "That's all we want." A ver y unmerr y Christmas It happened the Friday before Christmas. The five teach- ers who were fired didn't even know it at first. They learned they no longer had jobs by being locked out of school and email access. Some call it the actions of the Grinch who stole Christmas. All education professionals deserve a voice in determining their working conditions and shaping educational policy. New member organizing — including charter school workers — is essential if CTA is to fulfill its goal of providing a quality education for all. From the CTA Strategic Plan, "Our Union, Our Future" Organizing Advocacy 32 www.cta.org Wendy McBroome: Mistreated teachers need to stand up for themselves and their students.