Teachers' association president urges board to settle contract after 100 days

Nadia Reznikov, president of the Middle Country Teachers Association, told the Board of Education the district's teachers and teaching assistants have worked under an expired contract for 100 days and urged trustees to negotiate a fair settlement.

"Today is 100 days that we are working under an expired contract," Reznikov said, adding the association represents "over 900 teachers and teaching assistants." She told the board that proposals in the current negotiations would require educators to accept terms that, in her view, amount to a pay cut amid rising cost-of-living pressures.

Reznikov framed the dispute as both a labor and classroom concern: "Teacher working conditions are the students' learning conditions," she said, warning that prolonged strain on staff could affect retention and students' services. She said many educators are exhausted and questioned how long they can continue in their roles under the current financial and emotional pressures.

The board did not respond during public comment; board procedure announced earlier states that public input is a meeting in public, not a public hearing, and the board does not respond at the meeting. A board representative told speakers that if a comment requires a response, district staff would follow up directly or the item could be placed on a future agenda.

Reznikov said she remains optimistic the district and the union can reach a fair settlement, citing past agreements reached in good faith, and urged trustees to consider the classroom consequences of the negotiations.