Request WLWV School Board to Propose Furlough Day Assurances to Unions

This petition is requesting board members to direct the district administration to propose in writing to our licensed and classified teacher unions, the assurance that if a vote is passed to change their contracts and furlough up to three school days, that the district will apply all saved funds directly to preserving teacher jobs for the 25/26 school year.

A school district furlough day is a cancellation of a school day.  The savings gained comes from withholding all district staff’s wages for that day. Using today’s rates, three days of all district’s staff wages is $1.8 million. $1 million equates roughly to 6 teacher jobs.

If furlough days are proposed as a proactive measure to bring back any reduced staff for the upcoming year, then the decision must also be voted on by each labor association (licensed and classified) as it impacts contract agreements and employee wages.

At this time, the Superintendent and School Board are not proposing proactive furlough days to mitigate reductions for the 2025-2026 school year. We are asking them to change this and support our teachers in any decision they vote on: Propose, in writing, that if furlough days are approved by a union’s vote, the administration and school board will use the saved funds and apply them directly to recovering teaching jobs. For the upcoming year

Any decision to enact emergency furlough days and withhold wages must then be approved by the school board.

We are so grateful to our teachers, for all their work this year despite the stress of new curriculums, school closures and budget pressures. We realize that although some jobs may be recovered for the upcoming year, not all of them can and we mourn the loss of educators for our district and our children.