School board changes executive session practices
NORWICH – The Norwich City school board has adopted a change to its practice of executive session that will bring discussion items once reserved for behind closed doors into a public session, allowing parents and residents of the district to listen in.
Under recommendations from the New York State Department of State Committee on Open Government, the Norwich City school board will now hold grievance hearings during public session. These hearings will be held prior to the public comment portion of each school board meeting, permitting public attendees to chime in later on.
Routinely, grievances of district employees are heard at three different levels: first, to the employee’s immediate supervisor and if the matter isn’t resolved, it then goes to District Superintendent Gerard O’Sullivan. Should the issue still be disputed afterward, it’s brought before the school’s board of education. In the past, such grievances have been called for executive session, omitting the chance that it be heard in public; however, the new change in practice isn’t expected to drastically reduce the number of executive sessions called to order, O’Sullivan explained.
“We don’t have too many of these instances,” he said, noting that school board grievance hearings may occur as little as once a year. “Sometimes we can go for several months without a grievance ... There are still a few categories where we are obligated to go into executive session to discuss other items.”
While the change brings issues once held behind closed doors into the public spotlight, there will still be a number of issues that call for executive session, including employee contract negotiations and disciplinary issues, O’Sullivan clarified. People may even notice an increase in the number of executive sessions called as board meetings – once held bimonthly – are now held only once per month.
“Employees have the right to privacy,” O’Sullivan added, “and the board has a legal obligation to follow the rules and can’t violate those employees’ rights. The school district cannot afford to violate that right.”
The first grievance to be heard during public session will be addressed at the next school board meeting on Nov. 13. The board will hear an existing grievance regarding high school teachers and teacher prep time.
Under recommendations from the New York State Department of State Committee on Open Government, the Norwich City school board will now hold grievance hearings during public session. These hearings will be held prior to the public comment portion of each school board meeting, permitting public attendees to chime in later on.
Routinely, grievances of district employees are heard at three different levels: first, to the employee’s immediate supervisor and if the matter isn’t resolved, it then goes to District Superintendent Gerard O’Sullivan. Should the issue still be disputed afterward, it’s brought before the school’s board of education. In the past, such grievances have been called for executive session, omitting the chance that it be heard in public; however, the new change in practice isn’t expected to drastically reduce the number of executive sessions called to order, O’Sullivan explained.
“We don’t have too many of these instances,” he said, noting that school board grievance hearings may occur as little as once a year. “Sometimes we can go for several months without a grievance ... There are still a few categories where we are obligated to go into executive session to discuss other items.”
While the change brings issues once held behind closed doors into the public spotlight, there will still be a number of issues that call for executive session, including employee contract negotiations and disciplinary issues, O’Sullivan clarified. People may even notice an increase in the number of executive sessions called as board meetings – once held bimonthly – are now held only once per month.
“Employees have the right to privacy,” O’Sullivan added, “and the board has a legal obligation to follow the rules and can’t violate those employees’ rights. The school district cannot afford to violate that right.”
The first grievance to be heard during public session will be addressed at the next school board meeting on Nov. 13. The board will hear an existing grievance regarding high school teachers and teacher prep time.
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