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Parent asks Penfield to make teacher‑negotiation offers public; district says it’s negotiating in good faith
Summary
At the budget hearing a parent asked the district to share what it has offered in teacher contract talks; the superintendent said there is no legal bar to sharing but the district has not historically done so and that it has proposed a package above the regional average.
During the budget hearing’s public‑comment period, parent Donna Steel urged the district to be more transparent about ongoing teacher‑union negotiations so teachers and community members are not left ‘‘in the dark.’’ Steel, identifying herself as a Penfield parent and resident, said community trust would be strengthened if the district publicly shared the specifics of what it is offering in talks.
"Please share publicly what the district is offering during these negotiations," Steel said.
A district official who identified in the meeting context as the superintendent responded that, absent mutually agreed ground rules, there is no legal prohibition on disclosing negotiation proposals but that district practice has been to limit public sharing during active negotiations. The superintendent said the board and administration are committed to supporting teachers and said the district has already presented a proposal that exceeds the regional average increase, which the official cited as 3.94%.
"We have been intentional and we have been negotiating in good faith," the superintendent said, adding that members of the community who want specifics could contact the teachers union.
Context: The comments occurred during the budget hearing; the superintendent emphasized both support for staff and customary limits on public disclosure while encouraging union members to seek details from their representative organization. The district did not release specific offer terms during the meeting; the superintendent described only that the district’s proposal exceeds a stated regional average.
