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Board ratifies tentative teachers’ agreement 6–1 after member warns of process issues
Summary
The Los Banos Unified School District board ratified a tentative agreement with the district teachers’ union by a 6–1 vote after a board member objected that the deal excluded most trustees and raised possible Brown Act and Ed. Code 35010 concerns.
The Los Banos Unified School District Board of Trustees voted 6–1 to ratify a tentative agreement with the Los Banos Teachers Association on Oct. 14, following a public hearing and a heated exchange among trustees.
The motion to ratify the agreement was made by Member Valadao and seconded by Member Lieb. After the public hearing closed with no members of the public offering comment, the board took the roll-call vote and approved the agreement by a single dissenting vote.
Board member Smith objected to both the substance and the process by which the tentative agreement was reached, saying the board was not given adequate opportunity to review cost impacts and that negotiations had proceeded without full board involvement. "This tentative agreement was way outside of the parameters we set for the bonuses, and therefore, in my opinion, it was done inappropriately," Smith said, later adding, "This is actually probably born on a Brown Act violation." She referenced Ed. Code 35010 in arguing trustees should have been involved earlier in the process.
Supporters said the agreement moves forward needed compensation for teachers. Jen, speaking for the teachers association earlier in the meeting, urged the board to ratify the agreement and described the union’s involvement in district matters, including participation in the superintendent search and work on special-education concerns.
The board took the vote at the meeting’s public session; there was no recorded public testimony on the item during the hearing. The motion passed 6–1. The board did not provide a detailed cost breakdown at the time of the vote; trustees indicated some follow-up discussion and documentation will occur at later meetings.
Next steps: The agreement will be processed administratively per district procedures; the board indicated it will revisit related budget implications and contract-dating details (several trustees noted an extension or updated contract dates were not present in the materials).
