The Antelope Valley Times

Your community. Your issues. Your news.

Palmdale School District, teachers remain at odds

by •

More than 200 teachers and parents gathered outside the Palmdale School District office Friday to show support and unity for the PETA Bargaining Team.
More than 200 teachers, parents and students gathered outside the Palmdale School District office Friday (July 12) to show support and unity for the PETA Bargaining Team.

PALMDALE – The Palmdale School District met with the Palmdale Elementary Teachers Association (PETA) in post-factfinding negotiations this past Friday, but both sides were unable to reach an agreement that would allow the District to present a balanced budget for the next three years to the Los Angeles County Office of Education (“LACOE”), as required by law, according to Superintendent Roger D. Gallizzi.

In a press release issued Monday, Gallizzi gave his take on the latest round of negotiations:

While PETA, after more than six months, did propose for the first time an economic proposal that reflected the necessity of some reductions in benefits, PETA proposed no salary reductions. In response, the District informed PETA that its proposal was inadequate to address the District’s deficit which had been shared with PETA almost six months earlier, and had been confirmed through the factfinding process by the neutral Factfinder, Bonnie Castrey.

Ultimately, PETA reverted back to its original position that no changes were necessary to any salary and benefits in light of the State of California’s projected funding. While the District acknowledged the more positive outlook reflected in the Governor’s Budget, the District reminded PETA that the State has not yet determined the restrictions attached to those funds. As such, the District again presented its prior proposal which both ensures a balanced budget while also providing for strong contingency language which would restore salary reductions and/or furlough days based upon any unrestricted money in the ending fund balance for 2012-13, or additional unrestricted revenues in the District’s 2013-14 revenue limit.

In addition to this contingency language, and at PETA’s request, the District agreed to include language providing “If after the restoration of all salary reductions and furlough days additional funds are available from the ending fund balance and/or additional unrestricted revenue limit, the District and PETA agree to reconvene negotiations in regards to Salary.”

The meeting concluded with both the District and PETA acknowledging that they continued to be at impasse and unable to reach an agreement. Given that the District has negotiated and reached impasse with PETA in good faith, the District’s bargaining team will recommend to the Board of Trustees of the District that it implement its last, best, and final offer proposed to PETA on July 12, 2013. [Read the District’s last proposal here] That public meeting will be held on July 16, 2013.

PETA President Hugo Estrada said he was disappointed that the District did not accept PETA’s proposal, and said the proposal followed the factfinder’s recommendations. [Read PETA’s proposal here]

“We presented a soft cap for our benefits and we presented furloughs days that we felt we could take towards the end of the school year where it won’t affect us that much and we would definitely know how the money that Sacramento is sending would be used…” Estrada said. “The District cannot pick and choose what to use from the [factfinder] report, they either honor the entire report or not.”

Demonstrators felt these trucks were parked in front of the District build to suppress their protest.
Demonstrators felt these trucks were parked in front of the District building to suppress their protest.

Estrada said he was also disappointed that District officials tried to obstruct a planned demonstration outside the Palmdale School District Friday morning.

“They had District trucks parked in the front, blocking our ability to park. It was a clear move by the District to try to suppress our demonstration,” Estrada said, adding that the 200 plus demonstrators had to park down the street and then lug their banners and signs up to the District building for the protest.

PETA is planning another protest at the District Board meeting on Tuesday (July 16), and they’re asking supporters to show up at 3:30 p.m.

Previous related stories:

Factfinder backs furlough days for Palmdale teachers, PETA responds

Palmdale teachers, parents stage protest

–

60 comments for "Palmdale School District, teachers remain at odds"

  1. So it’s official, Gallizzi has managed to destroy the largest school district in the AV. It took a little time, but he pulled it off! Oh, and let’s not forget about Corrales as she blames Peta President Estrada for his “ineffective leadership” that “brought us” to this. If there were a Jerry Springer show for school district’s….guess who would get tickets?!?

  2. Why do I feel like all of the people backing up the sup are either on the board or their spouses? They seem to be very well informed. Dare I say it maybe even the girlfriend of a board member? Oh yeah that would be a PSD teacher who picks and chooses where she works every year and what position she wants to take.

    • BTW, I am not sure if anyone has backed the superintendent here, so I am not sure what you are talking about. If you think facts and common sense, and the whole story are backing him, you haven’t even found left field.

      • I like how you are all militant and angry, like a real ‘merican. Your vagueness is a sign of weakness. You like the word facts but you fail to back them up with anything tangible.

        • Have you ever heard of the saying “never argue with an idiot, he will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience”? Well that’s exactly how I feel about this and that is why I am vague. I’d rather not engage bullies like the ones commenting on behalf of the district. Oh and just to be clear, you seem a lot angrier than me. Hmmm who might you be? I’m a PSD parent/volunteer/PTA member/ELAC member. I like to believe that I’m pretty informed. I’m glad I’ve been keeping up with this issue and all of the comments made here. I now feel obliged to inform my community.

          • YUP I didn’t mean to refer to you, I was talking about Thinkaboutit!….which by the way reminds me of that psychopath who owned the surplus store in 1992’s “Falling Down”. You seem informed and I appreciate your sensible comments. I am neither PTA nor PSD, but I am someone who cares.

    • Is that legal? An elected official can have that type of relationship with a subordinate?

      • Denise Thompson and Mr. Thompson ring a bell, your must abstain from anything that is conflict of interest though.

        • I’m talking about Ferrin and his pretty girlfriend. She must be having a temporary lapse in judgment. At least I hope so..

  3. Oh look at those govt. vehicles to block the teachers from speaking, God Bless America!

    • Last school year there was a protest outside of Shadow Hills Intermediate School. The teachers and parents all lined up where parents were trying to drop their kids off in the morning. I was only driving by, but the actions of the protesting teachers and parents had the opposite effect on me. They were causing unsafe conditions which to me seemed as though they did NOT have the children’s best interests at heart.

      Another time, my daughter came home saying that the teachers at her school were telling the students to get their parents to come out and protest along with them. One was even offering extra credit. They told the children that the district was wrong and that we all had to fight. I have issues with any adult pushing their political agenda on a child. Then to not explain the reasoning behind all of this was simply wrong. I spend a good 2 hours going over the issues with my daughter and told her next time a teacher tries to push their own agenda, to ask questions and form her own opinion.

      • My question would be why the government vehicles are trying to block my teacher’s freedom of speech and peaceable assembly? I love how they teach these things in school and then demonstrate through practical application that the institution will act like a bully when it is put in a tight spot.

        • Who is to say that they were parked there for that reason. It is summer! Seriously, Maybe the teachers do not realize that work goes on while they are not there. Add to that they want you to think they took cuts last year when they didn’t. They don’t have a cap on benefits, while the rest of the world does. Quit whining and join the rest of us in reality

          • Why would District vehicles be parked there on that specific day? What moran would have those valuable vehicles parked there? Other than to impede the demonstration. There was no meeting there for those employees of those vehicles. This was surely a mandate from the top. Someone just got tweaked and reacted impulsively when they found out teachers would be supporting their negotiators that day.

      • While it was inappropriate to offer students extra credit and is definitely not the teachers’ job to push any political agenda, a good opportunity was created for you to have a 2 hour conversation with your child, was it not? As far as safety, with teachers not parking in the parking lots, the lots would then be open for parents and visitors to use, correct? The argument implied here had little validity or voracity.

  4. I find it kind of funny actually. When teachers park all of their vehicles in places that make it difficult and unsafe for parents to drop their kids off at school, it’s peaceful protest. When the District parks vehicles in front of the District, it’s “APPALLING.” Sorry guys, your sanctimony is APPALLING. When the LAUSD and UTLA got into an impasse, at least UTLA came back with some options. All I’ve heard from PETA is “no.” Perhaps a bit of creativity is in order since your outrage isn’t really resonating with the community….if you haven’t noticed. The teachers are just looking like they’re spoiled and entitled. Maybe you’re not, but your PR and tactics suck.

    • How bout we go 75/25 on the vehicles…teachers/75 for the parents who joined in and also parked their vehicles with signs posted in support. Wth are you reading?? As of 7/13 PETA has been the only one to make concessions…PSD has shown their true colors and it’s not a rainbow.

    • We did give a counter offer that was not even considered. One would surmise that the largest district in the AV would be a leader in how to best meet the needs of our students, rather than the last to settle a fair contract and treat its employees with a smidgen of respect. The insinuation that we as teachers would put a child’s safety at risk is both erroneous and insulting; being told to “shut up and get back to work” is disparaging and condescending, but sadly such is the state of affairs in our society today. How easy it is to criticize, insult, and insinuate in anonimity. Can any of you see that we are fighting to give our students a chance? A quality education? Every single cut listed is not necessary. When will any of us begin to think about the SCHOLARS instead of a dollar sign? Have any of you thought about what our children are learning from us? Name calling, strong-arming, and speaking when we have done little, if any research, about how bad the opposition is childish and we should all be ashamed of ourselves. We are adults. Sadly, instead of a lesson on resolving conflict, many are jumping on bandwagons and creating an acrimonious environment rather than showing our children how to compromise.

      • The same district who has minimized the cuts in previous years more than any in the valley?

        • Could you please elaborate? We have consistently taken hits to maintain our benefits. Last year our paychecks took hits to save the district 2.3 million dollars. Our four furlough days are returned to us because the district was funded the additional monies. We have no class-size reduction; one year I had 36 students in one class and 38 in the next. We have not seen COLA in seven years. How have we minimized cuts? Do you mean that students and parents have not felt the impact as much as teachers, support staff and their families as in other districts? Then, yes, I would agree with you. However, could you explain how every other district in this valley has figured out how to rescind RIFs, reinstate furlough days, and continue with class-size reduction with less money per pupil than Palmdale?

          • What district has class sized reduction? Btw if you have that much you have been ran over by your principal and haven’t stood up for yourself. All of the other districts have had actuall pay cuts and many furlough days not rescinded over recent years.

          • I was not run over by my principal in regards to class size; when average class sizes are taken over the district and the average was within the district guidelines. If one class has 10 students and I have 40, then the average between our two classes is 25 students; that is the formula used.

            In regards to your other comments: Eastside Union School District has maintained it’s class-size reduction, rescinded its 23 RIFs and returned teachers to their 2011-2012 salary schedules this year. It has already been approved by their board. Neither Westside, Lancaster, Eastside, no the high school district are reporting any furlough days in their 2013-14 calendars; only Wilsona shows furlough days the last week of the school year. We are the largest in the valley with a very diverse population, so we receive more funding that has been used to avoid furlough days. In regards to reductions and pay, if you review the fact finders report and graphs you will see that we are on the bottom end of teacher pay when compared to the other local districts. Maybe that is why we have not seen all the reductions in pay that other districts have seen. As the adage goes, “you can’t squeeze blood from a turnip.”

          • Do you even have a clue how many days some of these districts have furloughed their classified employees over the past few years, I think not!

          • I do know. I don’t agree with it either. Classified deserves better than they have and more recognition than they get. I was a member of the classified staff in a local school district before I became a teacher. However, what does your argument with classified have to do with certificates? They are their own bargaining entity, separate from the teachers’ union. I can support them, but I can’t fight their battles, just as they cannot fight mine.

    • FYI Get a Clue and AVGirl, the teachers cars were parked “off of school property” and they were handing out flyers in the street because to legally assemble, you must be on public property or private property with permission of the owner. By law they cannot be on the school grounds protesting so the cars parked in front of the school had signs on them while the teachers handed out flyers. How do I know this you ask? I went in the office and asked. So by law,it was a peaceful protest by the teachers. The ONLY reason the District trucks were parked in front of the office was because the school board called for a Special Board meeting that morning to review and post the fact-finding report. They knew the teachers would show up with their signs in hand so they parked school vehicles out front to prevent the teachers from parking there. I am sure it was a well thought out plan by the administration. “The teachers are spoiled and entitled”, that’s the assumption YOU came up with instead of finding out the facts…..as the saying goes; you know what happens when one assumes

  5. It is time to do away with all of theses seperate school districts. I am from a city of over half a million people with a dozen high schools-there was 1 school district that oversaw all of the schools. By consolidating all 8 of the AV school districts (including Mojave, Muroc, & Rosamond) into one large district would save money by cutting jobs at the top (superintendents and administration). The single district would also realize a savings in operating expenses as the supplies could be purchased in bulk, as well as textbooks. The transportation systems could also consolidate. State funding would be evenly distributed across the AV provinding technology improvements to all of the schools, not just those in the traditional “nicer” sides of town.

    • The solution for our problems in the AV: one county, one city, one mayor, one school district, and one police agency. The duplication of efforts are costly, inefficient, and confusing. Citizens of the AV: let us unite!

    • You obviously don’t realize that the technology is far more attainable if you are not on the quote nice side of town.

      • Really? On what evidence do you base your arguments? Would you please cite specific schools that receive better technology that are not on the “nicer side of town”?

          • Again, you have not answered my question. What exactly is an “e-rate portion”? That is a new one to me. Please tell me more.

  6. These are sad times in the PSD with district officials and teachers having such an estranged relationship(at least for 5 years) on the majority of issues. . . how can the school board expect teachers to do what’s best for our children under the chains they are expected to impose with these outrageous cuts (the very real effects-possible loss of homes, inability to feed their own families, working second jobs, etc.)? The past two years have definitely shown the the superintendent and his team and the board with a disconnect with teachers, lack of concern for their well being, unwillingness to work as a team. I was under the impression that to make public education work, it has to be a team effort-something like a Professional Learning Community not this “Superintendent and Board against Teachers”. Our children cannot get the proper education that they are entitled to until you all decide to work together as professionals. Take care of your teachers so that they can take care of our children! Don’t impose these cuts, don’t continue to allow such silly tactics as PSD trucks blocking the path of teachers which shows closed mindedness and unwillingness to listen/compromise and other such unprofessional and disrespectful gestures. Institutions of learning are no place for personal agendas-because of the nonsense and apparent mismanagement,the other districts are finally ahead of Palmdale(in many aspects) after all these years. What happened? How did we get here? PSD Board, you don’t work for the superintendent, your duty is to work WITH him-you represent the people who elected you, many being teachers and parents! Demand and show mutual respect for all involved. Only YOU can turn this thing around-restore and repair your relationship with classified and the PSD teachers. You have a responsibility to do what you KNOW is right.

  7. These teachers are a little nutty when you take into account they refuse to accept the fact most other public agency’s have cut across the board. I say strike on and see how the public reacts. It will not be pretty!

    • I am not a teacher, but I do know that based on state averages, PSD teachers are paid less than average district wide compared to the other districts in the state, while PSD administrators are paid above average. Westside School District teachers received a 4% pay increase this year. The theme of PSD seems to be waste, waste, waste and then cut, cut, cut. I hope no members of the board are re-elected for the next term. They need some new blood in that newly remodeled $500k boardroom.

      • Just looking at salary may be misleading. Benefit costs might be higher in other districts, so the take home might actually equal out to be close.

        • This still does not justify the waste that is being allowed and expecting classified and teachers to make up for it off their backs and pockets. Classified and teachers pay into their own retirement/pensions and Medicare. Why do we taxpayers have to pay for their superintendents? What is wrong with this?

        • According to our superintendent, we are one of the only districts without a hard cap to our health benefits. So, those districts only pay up to their cap (I have heard around $15,000) and then employees pick up the difference when rates jump. It is for this reason our salary scale has not changed for seven years, as other districts have, in order to maintain reasonable health care

          • No it’s not for that reason, no bargaining unit has received a pay raise since PETA and CSEA last got one, PETA is however getting a raise each year with it going to the units average benefit cost. Honestly you are trying to make it sound like the rest of the districts did not have any trouble, which is far from the truth. PETA is the only unit receiving a compensation increase yearly.

          • Really? Where do you find this information? I have stated that we have not taken COLA because it has been applied to our benefits. I in no way have stated that the other districts have not had troubles. Can you not concede the point, though, that it is devastating to have no change for years while other districts took furlough days and reductions in salary to having four days taken (which were then reinstated) to a huge loss? Here is PSD, sailing along while other districts are making changes, and all of the sudden: WHAM! We hit a brick wall. Does this seem logical? It is this series of events that has created this acrimonious environment.

            I have to agree with earlier commenters. It seems that your arguments are more like allegations with little to any imperial evidence to support your rationale. Please, again, I ask you to direct me to your sources. I am an educator and believe in using every event as a learning opportunity that can be used to better shape future decisions. If I am incorrect, please give me your source of unbiased information so that I make sure that am able to educate myself.

          • In short you need to educate yourself on how the state of California, and the federal government has funded schools prior and how they are going to, which until the money flows in, it should benefit PSD, but until then who knows. Try getting rid of your two class system of bennies 1st, that will help. I will give you hint as it is TMI for online, the budget process likes definite numbers.

          • Your acrid and rather condescending tone is not appreciated. I have simply asked for evidence and sources but as of this point you still have given none. Admittedly, I do not know the nuances of the budgeting process and I would like to understand where you are coming from, but you seem intent on avoiding any real facts or answering any questions concretely. You appear to believe you are an expert on my salary and benefits, yet provide no foundation on which to base your expertise. Why is this? Why are you so angry about benefits? We offered to fix the problem, but it was completely ignored. How is it that other districts have figured out how to use the LCFF and know their numbers? Why could PETA and the DO not hammer out a deal once the figures became solid? How can you tell me to “educate myself” and indicate that you understand it all but refuse to directly answer any questions? The only thing I can “think about” is that you really don’t have the answers yourself.

      • See uncapped benefits, read the teachers contract it is available to the public on the website.

        • I suggest you read the superintendent’s contract addendum after addendum. By the way request the legal fees he has spent from the firm who sat in negotiations since he has been superintendent. That would be a real wakeup call for all. Palmdale is not a Beverly Hills or Malibu type of school district to spend that type of money on legal fees. When a district spends that type of money someone at the top is incompetent. This is a public school district. Teachers work hard as do classified employees. They have not had raises in 7 years in order to have benefits. Is it right then for the superintendent to have his retirement and Medicare paid in full by us? The average employee, most any where, pays for their own portion of retirement and Medicare. Read the fact finders report and then look at what was just imposed by the District. It was an interesting Board meeting with one board member giving up her entire stipend.

          • If you think all of the problem’s are based on the Super’s pay package and lawyer fees you’re barking at the harmless dog in the corner. They were there before he was a super. I have read it, and I am affected by it, which you can’t say. PETA needs to get their act together. They are whining at this point about one person, and are willing to drag the whole district down over it?

          • From my understanding, our benefits are not “uncapped”. There is a basic plan that the district pays and we buy up should we chose a different plan. I have seen my buy-up increase six-fold, yet had to change plans because last year my plan was no longer offered. A two-tiered floating cap has been in place for many years. The hard cap is the point of contention, especially as it over a thousand dollars less than what the buy-up costs. The fact-finder suggested a soft cap of a little over $16,000 and a 50/50 split, which the PETA negotiators presented and the DO would not consider.

        • Every other employee is capped at 15,550, teachers bennies are a couple hundred over 16,000 averaged, that is uncapped. You can get Kaiser and pay nothing right now with SISC and the cap. Cvt gave a deal, they will recoup later!

          • The point is, I came into the district and chose a plan that wound up saving my life. I have been able to see the same doctors every visit, the same doctors I have seen for more than twenty years, the same doctors that found blood clots in my lungs because they knew my medical history. That is my choice. My out-of-pocket hospitalization, medications, treatments and visits would cost more than I will be paying for my benefits had I chosen an HMO or any other PPO plan. I have a 15 month old and will continue to buy up because of my family history. Again, that is my choice. The issue is we have forgone COLA, we have eliminated class-size reduction and took four furlough days to keep our benefits. It is the across-the-board cuts that are devastating. Furlough days? Fine! Salary reductions? Fine! Benefits cap? Fine! All three at the same time? Why? Most support staff work just shy of required time to receive benefits, and should they be eligible, they would lose so much out of their checks that they would be working as volunteers. How do I know? I was a member if the classified staff before I became a teacher.

          • Facts are fact …”barking at a harmless dog?” This firm may have been used before as you suggest, but the expenditures and the use of them have skyrocketed. A.V. Times or unions should get the actual figures by year since he has been there. When you need to have an attorney present for three days, the whole d a y each day fat $900.00/hour…someone high up is incompetent…each side has negotiators. His salary and retirement and Medicare are a concern, if we are also paying his portion of both, when classified and teachers have to pay their own. So it appears as though you would like for the community not to request these important figures, his perks btw that no one else gets, his frivolous expenditures – $500,000 Board room, bullying, threatening, intimidating tactics.

            No! This should not be overlooked or swept under the rug. This is not a “harmless dog” situation. This is up there with a “Bell” situation and employees are affected. People request the figures – legal fees for that specific firm, per year, since he has been superintendent. It is probably in the millions. Also take the Board members benefits away. They do not need them, they are meeting sometimes less than twice a month. Save the District $77,000+ a year. If the personnel commission is receiving benefits take them away or have them pay their own. How many times do they meet a Month in order for them to receive $15,550 each for their benefits?

    • I am a teacher in the Palmdale School District and I have taken a cut in pay, only to have it restored. We have also taken curs in pay as benefits packages rise inorder to have the health care options best suitedto our family needs. We are not opposed to cuts when they are necessary; however the numbers do not reflect such draconian measures. The “last, best and final offer” has been the same offer from the district for the last six months, before the new funding formula was released. Our position has been to wait and see what the numbers would actually be before taking cuts. We offered 6 furlough days AND another hit to benefits.

      Thank you Proud AV Resident for your comment and sharing with others what you have learned and explaining the situation from the perspective of someone who is observing this situation.

      • There are two classes of teachers according to PETA, those who were there when the decision was made to sell out their soon to be co-workers and those who were sold out. If you have to buy up, I guess you were sold out. If to they were smart and had integrity, they would hard cap it and move any additional monies to salary or benefits each year. As of now, the PETA contract is inequality at it’s finest… A young teacher family of four will get the lowest benefits available, does not have years of service, may or may not have units to bump them up on the pay scale. This person will have to pay to upgrade. You may want to look twice at that Co-worker!

        • We all pay to upgrade. The difference in upgrade is based on what the district’s basic plan is. Again, my “upgrade” has been downgraded to help save the district money while my cobtribution has increased sixfold. I was not an ployee when the vote was taken, but I was hired right before the cutoff was put into place. I do concede your point that it is absolutely unfair and we have been looking for solutions to create more equity. I honestly believe that the system was put into place because neither side say such a disparity rearing its ugly head and in no way did either side purposely set out to harm employees. It was an on foreseen circumstance that has created another facet to contract negotiations, not a reason for teachers to give dirty looks to one another. If anyone is to blame for the disparity, I would direct the questions to CVT, as the fact-finder stated in her report.

          As far as new hires go, are you aware that they are on an eleven-month pay cycle while everyone else hired before them has their checks divided into 12 month portions? Should teachers state at their coworkers as well? What about those that have taught the same amount of time but are farther over because they had the ability to buy up credits and pay for courses while others did not? We are united in teaching a fair deal for all but, admittedly, there are many issues to hammer out. Unfortunately the board imposed and that right has been taken away.

    • I agree these teachers are off their rocker. If pay is better elsewhere I suggest they go teach somewhere they will be happy.

      The public voted for every prop they wanted, and now they still have problems.

      Shut up and get to work

      • So you are o.k. with a Superintendent getting $250,000 +?:

        1. all of his retirement/pension being paid IN FULL by taxpayers (while the majority of individuals pay their half or more)
        2. Medicare – all of it being paid by taxpayers. (Majority of individuals pay their portion.
        3. Abusing his power by intimidation, threatening, retaliating and bullying.
        4. Spending half a million dollars on redoing a Board room. (Really)
        5. Someone needs to look into legal fees through the public records act from the firm who has been sitting in negotiations for 3 days, 8 hours each day at $900.00 per hour. Let us do the math…$21,600 plus does the District not have their own negotiators? Press or union should request these records since he was interim superintendent to now. That dollar amount would probably create outrage.
        6. Board members who are there twice a Month get full health benefits again let us do the math…$15,550.00 x 5 Board members = $77,750. Someone also said the District pays medical for personnel commission members, I do not know if that is true or not. If it is and they are 5 more members…then add another $77,750. Total & $155,500.
        7. He was just allowed to cash out, I believe $38,000 from his vacation at a higher rate before cuts. This will spike his retirement.

        Teachers who are married will probably lose $2,000 in income a Month. Teachers have tried to negotiate in good faith, but it appears they are faced with someone who is vindictive.

        Teachers continue to move forward. The community is starting to listen and hear of the waste of frivolous expenditures by the superintendent and approved by the Board.

        As a parent, I want our teachers happy and not struggling. These teachers have not had a raise in 7 years. They already had agreed to have their medical reduced last year. He wants to hit them again this year.

        We need to stand behind our teachers.

        By the way…tonight he is going to impose (that’s right IMPOSE) salary cuts, health benefits cuts and furlough days. Did you not read what the Fact Finder recommended? What they are imposing tonight is severe. More than what was suggested. Ask yourselves why. It does not make sense.

  8. Mr. Gallizzi’s statement that PETA refused to negotiate a salary reduction is erroneous. In the PETA post-facting proposal, PETA compromised by accepting 6 furlough days versus the 9 suggested. Any furlough day is a non-paid day and a reduction in take-home pay/salary.

  9. What a frigin joke! Who the hell gave the directive to park all of these district vehicles on the street? NONE of these vehicles are ever parked off district property. Thank you Mr. Gallizzi for providing the proof to the citizens in this community exactly how out of touch you really are with this district…what a lesson for the students to learn. “APPALLING”!