Report Inappropriate Comments

Patient Man, I have no idea how much the retro pay was for teachers, but it was paid two years ago and I don't think it's realistic to think the city could get it back. I also don't see any practical way for that to happen.

From what I remember reading about the last teacher contract, the city council wanted a deal; the former mayor wanted a deal; the school committee wanted a deal; and the union eventually agreed to a deal.

Then the city council apparently decided it didn't want to pay for the deal; I seem to recall $3 million being "put aside" and then when the final bill of $4 million came in for the first year, the council didn't put any more money into the school budget.

Just as the council seems to be operating under the idea that they can disregard state law that prohibits them from telling the school department how to spend its money, they also seem to forget or ignore that the city is responsible to pay for any contracts negotiated by the school committee.

That's straight out of the state laws that govern education funding; it's not a court opinion that could be appealed or some lawyer's suggestion that can be disputed.