Coventry teachers union president tells school committee town council cannot nullify ratified contract

Kelly Aranakis, president of the Coventry Teachers Alliance, told the Coventry School Committee during public comment that the union had negotiated and ratified a contract and that state law grants the elected school committee authority over contracts. “The contract is ratified,” Aranakis said, urging the committee not to allow the town council to “take away your statutory authority.”

Aranakis read from Title 16 of the Rhode Island General Laws and argued the charter cannot void the committee’s statutory responsibilities over the care, custody and management of public schools or its authority to enter into collective bargaining. She said CTA membership ratified the contract and that she had consulted lawyers who agreed with her interpretation.

The committee did not take immediate action in response to the remarks. Chair said the issue will be discussed further with the committee’s legal counsel. “It’s definitely something we’ll discuss further with our legal counsel,” the Chair said.

Context: Aranakis framed her remarks as a response to recent town council discussion about the teacher contract. She said she will attend the council meeting on the thirteenth to reiterate the union’s position. The exchange was confined to public comment and did not include a formal legal finding or a committee vote; the committee treated the item as subject to follow‑up with counsel.