Andover School Committee chair apologizes for comments

Madeline Hughes, The Eagle-Tribune, North Andover, Mass.
·2 min read

Feb. 3—ANDOVER — School Committee Chair Susan McCready opened last week's meeting with an apology after some of her comments made at a "lengthy and difficult grievance meeting" with the Andover Education Association were posted to social media.

The apology came days after a hearing about contract violations raised by teachers, which has been one of a number of contentious meetings over the past nearly two years as multiple contracts have been negotiated, including the teachers' contract that was in question at the hearing.

The union posted that McCready told teachers "No one is asking you to stay here. If you don't like working here, then please leave. Please go," shortly before the School Committee meeting started.

"I know my comments did nothing to help us move forward toward mutual respect," McCready said. "And to that I apologize to you my colleagues, to the administration and most importantly, to the many wonderful educators in this district, some of whom were in that hearing who may have thought this was directed at them. I truly value you. and you along with our students is why I serve on this committee."

The quote had been circling since the previous Tuesday when the School Committee met with union representatives about a contract violation grievance.

"As far as non-apologies go it's pretty convoluted and not a full mea culpa. We think the chair of the School Committee could have taken more accountability," said Matthew Bach, president of the Andover Education Association.

The teachers had filed a grievance about the teacher workday, specifically the 10 minutes before and 30 minutes after school, McCready said. About 20 teachers testified during Tuesday's hearing about why they thought the contract was being violated, Bach said. But he wouldn't elaborate more, instead waiting for the determination to come out around February 8, he said.

McCready gave more details about the emotionally charged meeting, saying, "It hit an emotional chord with me to hear some teachers in the meeting say those 10 minutes before and 30 minutes after bell time should be optional and that being reminded of these contractual obligations was demoralizing. So demoralizing that they might begin to look for jobs in other districts."

For years there's been friction between the union and the School Committee that's played out most recently through the Instructional Assistants' contract negotiations that have lasted more than 500 days. The district is currently waiting to hear from a fact-finder about the negotiations after they stalled out last summer when a state mediator got involved.

There have been protests, signs posted in residents' yards and instructional assistants coming to nearly every committee meeting for months calling for a resolution to the negotiations. and McCready pointed that out during the meeting saying she felt "personally attacked."

She shared her hope that the committee and union could come to a more peaceful conclusion.