‘Given every resource’: Newton School Committee says it has run out of money for striking teachers

NEWTON, Mass — While the striking Newton teachers and school committee have agreed on several issues, there remains one gap to bridge, — money, city officials said Thursday evening.

Over the past several days, the two sides have resolved sticking points like a 60-day parental leave, employee retention concerns and paraprofessionals but remain over $15 million apart on the amount that should be allocated to schools.

While chants from picketing educators rang outside the Newton Education Center, School Committee Chair Chris Brezski said that the teachers’ financial demands are “not grounded in economic reality” and appear to be based on urging from the Massachusetts Teachers Association to push for a deal comparable to the one Andover teachers received following their November 2023 strike.

“We have restructured every proposal and thought through every line item of the budget. Under the economic reality we now have to deal with, we have given every resource to this contract that we can without harming students,” detailed Brezski. “Despite any limitations, when we compare this contract to our elite peer districts, we have put forth an incredibly competitive package and one that we are proud of. By contrast, the union’s proposal is not grounded in any economic reality.”

Brezski said that Newton schools should not follow the same path that Andover did, which he says has already begun to cut staff following the new deal. The school committee chair maintained that Newton’s offer is comparable to other districts.

According to Breski, when the school committee asked the striking teachers to vote on the proposal, NTA President Mike Zilles immediately refused.

“The reason our kids remain out of school is that a teacher making $62,000 today will make $82,000 at the end of this contract, and not $83,000. A teacher making $91,000 today will make $121,000 at the end of this contract, and not $123,000. A teacher making $120,000 will make 135,000, and not 138,000. Paraprofessionals making $22.81 an hour will make $32.66 and not $35.18,” Breski said.

Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller echoed Breski’s proclamation that the city had run out of funds.

“We have consistently said that we will not compromise the education of our students with layoffs. This offer, this offer from the school committee, negotiating to make sure, makes sure that today and tomorrow we keep improving the quality of our schools without diminishing city services that our residents need,” said Fuller.

Students longing to return to the classroom and working parents who are juggling childcare recently penned letters to a Middlesex Superior Court judge, urging him to take action to get Newton teachers back to school.

“I miss being in school. I miss seeing my teacher. I hope to be in school soon,” one young student said in a handwritten letter addressed to the Hon. Christopher K. Barry-Smith.

Another student wrote, “I wish to see my friends and teacher. It gets very boring at home and there is nothing to do...I am sad...Please help us get back to school!”

Late Thursday morning, the Newton School Committee filed a memorandum in support of an emergency motion for reconsideration of sanctions and an immediate hearing, stating that striking teachers have “demonstrated irreparable harm.”

The Newton Teachers Association has faced a total of $575,000 in court-imposed fines through the strike thus far. Additional fees of $50,000 are being tacked on for each day that the strike lingers on.

In the newly filed memorandum, the Newton School Committee urged the court to double the daily $50,000 fine to $100,000. The school committee also wants a judge to order the teachers’ union to report the amount of donations it has received when making such daily payments.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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