Rockland teachers’ union delivers vote of no confidence in district leadership amid stalled contract talks

Travis Moger, president of the Rockland Teachers Professional Association, delivered a formal vote of no confidence in Rockland Unified School District leadership on Nov. 18, accusing the superintendent and named associate superintendents of unilateral bargaining tactics, divisive communications toward certificated staff and violations of the Educational Employment Relations Act.

"The Rockland Teachers Professional Association resolves this vote of no confidence in the Rockland Unified School District district leadership team," Moger said during the RTPA presentation, reading the association's resolution and noting the petition included more than 400 signatures collected in under three days.

Moger pressed several specific grievances: he said the district offered a retirement incentive without "sunshining" it at the bargaining table, that the district withheld negotiation opportunities on staffing changes (including math and academic lead positions), and that the superintendent's communications to families sometimes preceded staff notification and "villainize" teachers.

Board members responded during the meeting. President (Rochelle) Price and several trustees voiced support for district leadership while acknowledging teacher concerns; trustees said they wanted negotiations to proceed in good faith and requested additional information. Deputy Superintendent Jennifer Stahlheber said the district had worked with legal counsel and that the retirement incentive had been submitted in accordance with the public disclosure process required under state law, and that RTPA had agreed to resume negotiations on Dec. 3.

Stahlheber also described the district's fiscal context to explain the form of the offer: because declining enrollment reduced ongoing base revenue, the district had used one-time reserve dollars to propose a one-time supplemental retirement incentive rather than an ongoing salary increase. "Our current unrestricted reserve, which is one time, is 32 [percent]," Stahlheber said in the presentation and explained how one-time funds differ from dollars that can support ongoing salary increases.

Trustees and union leaders exchanged questions about affordability and priorities during the meeting but did not take a formal vote on the union’s resolution. Superintendent Stock and trustees said they remain committed to reaching a settlement that supports both staff and fiscal responsibility; RTPA said it would present its concerns and requested the board direct a formal review of leadership bargaining practices.

Next steps: RTPA and district negotiators will meet in early December; trustees pledged to follow up on the union’s allegations and on the legal/fiscal details staff outlined at the meeting.

This article is based on the RTPA presentation and subsequent board discussion at the Nov. 18 Rockland Unified School District board meeting.