Tensions rise as Lexington teachers and board members clash over contract decision

LEXINGTON — Disrespectful and deceptive. Arrogance not leadership. Planting seeds of doubt.

Those were just a few of the ways public commenters described the Lexington Local Schools Board of Education’s decision to unilaterally implement a contract voted down by its teachers union.

Dozens of people attended a school board meeting Wednesday night, including students, parents, community members, Lexington teachers and teachers from other districts.

On Sept. 2 the school board voted to adopt a new contract, two days after the previous contract expired, despite the fact the union membership voted it down.

In response, teachers last month launched a soft strike as the Lexington Teachers’ Association (LTA) announced they would be implementing work-to-rule. This means teachers only work their contracted school hours.

Public comments highlight division over contract implementation

Fourteen people addressed the board during the public comment portion of Wednesday’s meeting, including Lexington Village Councilman Keith Bacin.

“Please never assume you know what is best for us or what we want, without knowing if it is,” Bacin told board members. “I am very disappointed with your unanimous decision to unilaterally implement the contract that was voted down.”

He urged the board to reconsider, saying board action has told teachers their voices do not matter and their collective bargaining power can be ignored whenever convenient for the board.

“You have planted seeds of doubt in the mind of voters during a time that we need it most,” he said.

Kaitlyn Swartzmiller, seventh grade intervention specialist at the junior high and recently appointed as the official spokesperson for the LTA, also voiced her concerns.

Swartzmiller described her deep roots within the Lexington Local Schools, noting her own education and her grandfather, who held many different administrative roles, including superintendent.

“What is happening right now at Lexington scares me,” she said. “My concern is if our voice and vote does not matter, what will happen next?

“What will the board decide to implement next? Can they do whatever they want? What does this mean for the retention of these phenomenal teachers?” she said.

“What will happen to this great district if those who care most about the students continue to be ignored and disrespected?” Swartzmiller asked.

Board confronts criticism and calls for unity

After the public comment period, school board President Keith Stoner said board members serve for one reason — to help Lexington schools maintain its place of leadership.

Stoner shared examples of board members’ dedication to the community, from donating funds to volunteering their time.

“We acknowledge and respect the contribution of every employee in the district,” Stoner said.

He said he would like for people to search the salaries in neighboring districts of similar size.

“You are being asked to take drastic steps by a small group of people who are telling you half truths and then compounding those lies with innuendo,” he said.

At that point, a large group of people got up and left the meeting.

Later in the evening, Stoner revisited the comment he made and apologized stating it was not his intent to offend anyone.

Supt. Jeremy Secrist said the board has great appreciation and support for all the teachers at Lexington schools.

“In negotiations, I explained I had some work to do with this board, not because they don’t appreciate all of us, because they do,” he said.

“But because they ask the right questions of the superintendent who wanted to give raises at a time when we are facing a $2.9 million operating deficit and we know we have ugly stuff coming.”

“Their response was, ‘How do we that?'” he added. “And my response was, ‘How do we not?'”

He noted last year the district didn’t replace five staff members who left the district, which saved the district $500,000. He said the state then reduced district funding by $500,000 not long after.

Secrist added with funding cuts at the state level and the scaling back of the U.S. Department of Education that it is important to come together.

“Naively, what I thought was if we gave raises at a time when we really shouldn’t, maybe we would all come together and we would pass this levy,” Secrist said. “Without the levy we are in trouble.”

“This is exactly what they want, all of us tearing each other a part,” he said. “They are trying to dismantle the public schools.”

What’s in the contract?

The contract implemented gave the teachers a 2 percent pay raise each year for the next three years. These are in addition to the step raises based on years of experience built into the teacher salary.

There were also changes made to the teacher health insurance plan, which board members called modest changes.

These changes include increases to employee premiums, deductibles, co-insurance rates and out of pocket maximums for single and family plans.

Stacy Davis, who serves as assistant principal at Eastern Elementary, said she has been with Lexington schools for 17 years. During those years, she has served as vice president for the LTA and been on the negotiations team.

She added she has been asked what her insurance looks like as an administrator.

“It looks the same as everybody else’s,” she said. “I have the same premiums and coverage.”

One change to the insurance policy is an increase in out of pocket maximums to $2,500 for a single employee and $5,000 for a family plan.

Davis said that according to the frequently asked questions on the district website in 2023 that 21 percent of the family plans met the out-of-pocket maximum. She added that year she was one of those who met the out-of-pocket maximum.

“I had open heart surgery and my bills went over $200,000,” Davis said. “What did I have to pay? $1,500, my out-of-pocket maximum. Then, I had 100% coverage for the rest of the year.”

Later in the meeting, Lexington Treasurer Jason Whitesel shared a similar experience after undergoing surgery.

Whitesel said in an email response to Richland Source questions last month, the most any family will pay out of pocket for any year is $5,000, regardless of total medical costs.

He added in order to reach the out of pocket maximum, with a 20 percent co-insurance, a family will have had to incur approximately $25,000 in medical costs.

“This means that is a family reaches a $5,000 out of pocket maximum for my family, they have received an additional benefit of $20,000 in medical costs covered by our self insurance fund that they were not responsible for,” Whitesel said.

Additionally, he added, for every single dollar after that, the entire family has a zero dollar patient responsibility and those additional costs are also covered fully by the district’s self-insurance fund.