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Teachers, parents press district over behavior supports as board approves OSEA contract
Summary
Educators and parents urged stronger behavior-support language and faster contract settlements during patron input; the board approved the OSEA classified bargaining agreement for 2025–28 and will present corrective actions tied to audit findings and budget pressures.
At the Oregon City School District board meeting, multiple teachers and parents urged the district to strengthen protections and supports for students and staff in classrooms while bargaining continues. Several speakers described how unresolved contract talks and limited behavior supports are affecting classroom safety and instruction.
"Article 5 was designed to kinda give us all that support," said David Behringer, a public commenter who recounted classroom incidents he said required continuous staff supervision and many environmental safeguards. Several other teachers echoed concerns that language proposed by union negotiators had been struck out during bargaining.
Oregon City educators framed the issue as both safety and instructional capacity. "When we have giant classes up to 40, how are we supposed to correct, how are we supposed to measure…" said Catherine Fernandez, a Spanish teacher, arguing that large classes make it impractical to meet language-learning standards. Angie Shower, a first-grade teacher, described students who are frightened to enter classrooms and said teachers are being asked to increase attendance pressures without adequate supports.
Union and teacher representatives said bargaining has lasted many months and that morale is strained. "We are not invisible," said Steven Takarski, a social studies teacher, describing bargaining that he said has dragged toward a tenth month.
At the meeting, the board ratified a separate bargaining outcome with the classified employees: directors voted to approve the OSEA collective bargaining agreement covering 2025–2028. Board members thanked both bargaining teams for their work. District leaders said they will continue negotiations with the other bargaining units and noted upcoming bargaining sessions.
Why it matters: Teachers’ testimony linked classroom safety, class size and behavior-support language to day-to-day instruction and staff retention. The board’s approval of the classified contract addresses one bargaining table but left unresolved issues raised by teachers and parents at the meeting.
What’s next: Bargaining will continue with other employee groups, and staff said they will publish additional materials about negotiations and post listening-session materials online. The board also discussed next steps tied to budget planning and the district’s broader strategic priorities.
