Teachers' union presses board for clear pay and supply‑fund timelines; superintendent outlines budget constraints

Judith Mandela, president of the Gadsden County Classroom Teachers Association, addressed the board on April 28 to contest remarks from a prior meeting she said mischaracterized the union’s work on behalf of all teachers. Mandela asked the board to stop “divisive” comments and explained the bargaining process and how union representation works.

Mandela told the board that state TSIA funds (she referenced a $504 amount discussed previously) were not district raises and that, in previous years, the district added little or no recurring funding for teacher pay. She said bargaining requires accurate and timely financial information and noted that the union did not receive annual financial reports in time in prior years.

Superintendent Elijah Key responded, clarifying that distribution of teacher supply money is an administrative decision under his authority, not a direct board action. Key also disputed the notion that the district can find one-time money for raises without staff reductions, saying roughly 85% of the budget is personnel costs. He described how prior salary increases roll forward as recurring costs and cited that teacher pay moved from about $38,000 to $45,000 over several years, increasing the district’s recurring obligations.

The board received the comments and acknowledged the need for collaboration. Key also reminded members of upcoming academic events, testing, promotion ceremonies and the May 22 high school graduation.

No board action was taken on compensation at the meeting; the discussion centered on process, timelines for financial data, and district capacity to make recurring pay commitments.