Elmhurst Teachers Union Grievance To Be Heard

ELMHURST, IL — The state's labor board for schools is set to hear the Elmhurst teachers union's grievance accusing the local district of starting in-person learning "regardless of circumstances" and in violation of its own metrics.

In early January, the Elmhurst Teachers Council issued a statement on its Facebook page announcing it would file unfair labor practice charges against Elmhurst School District 205 with the state Educational Labor Relations Board. The state board is set to take up the union's grievance at its virtual meeting Thursday.

In mid-November, the school board voted for a set of county and local metrics to establish when hybrid learning would resume. But according to the union's statement, the board ignored its own metrics a month later when it decided hybrid learning would start Jan. 11.

"The board's own metrics were not satisfied in December, and they are not satisfied now," the union said in the statement. "The data still shows a substantial rate of community spread, which poses a clear risk to the health of students and their families."

The union said state law is clear that the school board must negotiate matters of health and safety with the union. The public, the union said, deserves a school board that follows the rules, regardless of the "passions of the current circumstances."

"By unilaterally discarding its own health metrics and choosing to expose all employees to elevated risk without bargaining in good faith, the Board of Education has failed to follow the law," the statement said. "The Union's response is the proper legal recourse to address violations of the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act."

The union referred to its working relationship with the district as "historically productive."

The local union for school aides, known as the Elmhurst Paraprofessional and School Related Personnel Council, is joining the teachers in the grievance.

Many school districts are facing tensions with unions as they navigate the reopening of schools during the pandemic. But the Elmhurst situation appears to be unusual. Besides Elmhurst, the labor board is hearing just three other cases Thursday. That's out of more than 800 school districts statewide.

Last Thursday, Elmhurst Patch submitted a public records request to District 205 for the union's grievance. The district has until Friday to answer the request.

Both the union and the district have been relatively quiet about their difficulties. But those commenting at school board meetings have not been so shy.

At last week's session, parent Monte Weirman volunteered to help in the fight against the union.

"We don't allow bullying in school. I feel that the teachers union has been a bully," he said.

Another parent, Deanna Emmerich, said the public was watching the "hot potato" of pandemic issues "get tossed back and forth between the board and the ETC."

At a meeting in late January, parent Adrianna Cook said the district's continuation of remote learning "isn't about the students. This is about the union members and their refusal to show up. And for the life of me, I can't figure out why you won't stand up to them and be an advocate for the students."