Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Labor Contracts topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Teachers, staff and parents press Middlesex board to settle contract amid staffing shortages
Summary
Dozens of teachers, support staff, parents and residents urged the Middlesex Borough School District board during public comment to settle the outstanding teachers' contract, saying prolonged negotiations are worsening staff morale and driving vacancies—particularly in special education.
During the meeting's public comment period, a large group of district employees, parents and community members urged the Middlesex Borough School District board to settle the outstanding teachers' contract and to address persistent staffing shortages, especially in special education.
Several teachers and support staff described long vacancies that they said have forced teacher assistants to run full classrooms for months. Jessica Khan, who said she was reassigned from reading specialist to special education math, told the board she has “40 plus students that are not receiving services that they so desperately need because we cannot get teachers to come and teach in our district.” Another commenter representing the Middlesex Education Association, Regina Reed, said teachers have waited nearly a year for a contract and asked the board to complete negotiations at the district's next scheduled meeting; Reed told the board, “We've been waiting for 297 days.”
Other speakers cited data and labor‑market research to underline the hiring problem. A commenter referenced a Rutgers University report noting a sharp drop in the number of provisional teaching certificates issued statewide and said fewer new teachers are entering the profession. Multiple staff members said the district is relying on long‑term substitutes and teacher assistants to cover vacancies for entire academic terms.
Speakers also raised concerns about morale and school climate at Hazelwood School. Several parents and staff described emotional and behavioral effects on students and said long staffing gaps and leadership turnover had contributed to a difficult environment. At the same time, a number of Hazelwood staff and parents spoke in defense of their current principal and criticized what they described as public statements that have exacerbated tensions.
Several commenters tied the staffing and morale issues directly to the unsettled contract. Teachers and related staff said neighboring districts offer substantially higher pay or stipends, contributing to turnover; one teacher noted that surrounding districts are offering up to $20,000 more, which she said makes it difficult to retain newer hires.
Speakers from multiple schools also described the extra unpaid time and out‑of‑pocket expenses teachers absorb to support students, including buying supplies and covering student needs, and asked the board to consider the human impact of prolonged negotiations. Several called for the board to act at the next bargaining meeting and to prioritize recruiting and retaining special education staff and school counselors.
Board members did not take a public vote on contract terms during the meeting. Commenters repeatedly asked the board to settle negotiations at the next scheduled bargaining session and to report a resolution to the community.
