Hazleton Area School District board approves teacher contract and routine agenda items; one board member objects to bilingual competency language
Summary
The Hazleton Area School District Board approved grouped agenda items including a new teacher contract. Dr. Childs said she would vote no on the contract because it does not recognize competency in two languages; the contract was passed and the teachers' union president praised the agreement.
The Hazleton Area School District Board of Directors voted to approve a slate of routine agenda items and a new teacher contract during its meeting; one board member recorded a dissenting vote citing concerns the contract does not value bilingual competency.
The board approved grouped motions covering curriculum, special education, security, nutrition and transportation, facilities and capital projects, extracurricular appointments, finance items and bills encompassing items 1 through 95 on the agenda. The motion covering items 92 through 95, which included the new teacher contract (item 94), passed after a roll call vote; Dr. Childs announced she would vote against the contract because, she said, "I won't vote for any contract that does not recognize competency in 2 languages as a valuable asset to the Hazelton Area School District." Mover and seconder for items 92 through 95 were identified as Mr. Chapman (motion) and Mr. Barletta (second).
The contract was also addressed by Michelle Planudes, president of the Hazleton Area Teachers Association, who thanked the board and business office staff for negotiating an agreement she described as "very fair" and said the contract was approved overwhelmingly by teachers in a vote she said took place despite difficult weather.
Why it matters: teacher contracts affect pay, work rules and staffing conditions districtwide; the disagreement over language recognizing bilingual competency signals an ongoing policy debate about recruiting and retaining bilingual educators in a district with Spanish-speaking families.
Details of the meeting and votes - The board repeatedly approved grouped agenda blocks (for example, items 1'0, 28—1, 48—4, 65—1, 82—1) with motions and seconds recorded on the record. Many blocks passed with voice votes and no recorded roll-call dissent. Where a board member registered a named objection, the objection was recorded on the transcript (see "Votes at a glance" below). - Item 30 drew a recorded no vote from Dr. Childs; she said she opposed measures that she said would "bring more students into the district with no room to put them." The motion covering items 28 through 41 otherwise passed. - Item 94 (teacher contract) was approved; Dr. Childs voiced a public no vote on principle. The transcript records the motion and the subsequent voice vote and the single named nay.
Quotes "I won't vote for any contract that does not recognize competency in 2 languages as a valuable asset to the Hazelton Area School District," Dr. Childs said when explaining her vote. "It was passed overwhelmingly by our teachers," Michelle Planudes, president of the Hazleton Area Teachers Association, said of the contract, thanking the business office and negotiators.
Context and next steps Board members and district staff did not provide full contract text details on the public record during the meeting; one public commenter asked for an itemized accounting of upcoming conference expenses and cited the school code when requesting the item be added to a future agenda. The board congratulated retiring employees and recognized staff changes, and attendees were told routine items and personnel actions will continue to be returned in future agendas for record-keeping.
Ending The board completed its agenda after approving the grouped items and the contract; staff and the teachers association said they will proceed under the newly approved contract. The transcript shows remaining procedural business and adjournment.
