Wrangell teachers told the school board this week they do not feel like they have a safe way to communicate openly with board members.
The Wrangell Public School Board had a full audience at its last two meetings. Teachers and parents expressed concerns about two topics: a lack of communication with the board and the resignation of the secondary school principal.
Stikine Middle School teacher Bob Davis said he would speak for several teachers to address the breakdown in communication between school board members and school staff. He said district employees are afraid to talk to the board.
“Do you realize that the aides in this district have no real safe way of talking to you? The secretaries have no real way of talking to you. Some of the teachers can’t talk to you. Even the principals have to watch what they say when they talk to you, because they don’t have tenure and they have to watch their career,” Davis said. “Please keep in mind, an example has been set.”
Davis told the school board they owe teachers a safe avenue to talk about concerns without having to worry about negative evaluations, letters of reprimand, or their contracts. He said he advised non-tenured teachers against bringing their concerns to the board. Those teachers have less job security.
“I’m not sure why there’s a concern about a safe way to speak openly. I’m not sure what the concern is about that,” said School Board President Susan Eagle.
She said the communication policy that seems to be causing concern was recommended by the Association of Alaska School Boards (AASB) and was adopted by the Wrangell School Board earlier this year.
The policy states, “Staff members, parents and community members should submit questions or communications to the School Board through the Superintendent. Board members’ questions or communications to staff or about programs will be channeled through the Superintendent’s office.”
Superintendent Patrick Mayer, in his first year at the district, said he does not know why people are finding it hard to work with this policy.
Davis said the policy did not seem out of line when he first looked at it.
“If it had been written last year, I wouldn’t have blinked,” Davis said. “But that was last year. This year it’s a major problem because it’s being conflated with some other issues this district is having.”
Davis did not elaborate on what those issues are. He indicated teachers have information they would like to share with the school board.
