Newport teacher union president pleads for funding

By GLYNIS HART
[email protected]
NEWPORT — The president of the Newport Teachers Association, Melissa Mitchler, pushed back against critics of the school district at the school board meeting Dec. 20. The school board is currently working through next year’s budget; at a previous meeting the budget advisory committee sharply criticized the district for its handling of budget matters. (“Sparks fly over Newport school budget,” Dec. 6 Eagle Times. )

Mitchler responded to statements by former school board member Bert Spaulding Sr. and Newport select man Jeff Kessler that if the district were a business, its management practices would not be allowed. 

“If the district is a business, who are the shareholders? What is the product, and what is the return on our investments?” asked Mitchler. “The shareholders are our community members; the product is our students. If we believe in them as business owners we need to invest in them …

“Why do we need more money? Because we want Newport to be better than it is.” Mitchler pointed out that the school tax rate of 30 percent is lower than the town tax rate, 33 percent. She read a list of recent tax increases and decreases, comparing the town and the school over the last decade. 

“The school continues to be blamed for the high tax rate in Newport. That does not appear to be accurate,” said Mitchler. 

“Last year, four contracts in the entire state did not pass. Two of them here in Newport. They aren’t willing to fund school budgets; Newport still pays the lowest amount toward education.” Meanwhile, Newport’s unemployment rate is 2.1 percent, “not the lowest,” she added. 

“A member of the budget advisory committee suggested we go back to classes with 30 students, lecture style. Does this type of teaching support the mission of the district? Is this the direction the board wants the schools to go? More importantly, does this style prepare the students for the workforce they will encounter?” 

Mitchler also criticized budget cuts that would affect teachers and staff. “I can’t imagine the schools functioning on less staff. We have high school students sitting in learning labs, not doing anything, not earning credit, because we lack teachers. We have teachers doing the job of three or four people because there isn’t enough staff. Cutting a position does not eliminate the responsibilities of that position — they just get put on someone else.

“[Superintendent of Schools] Dr. Gallagher mentioned that a $2 million cut would mean 16 teachers. This would be teachers in first, second, third and fourth grades. Please don’t let our children suffer any more. Do what’s right for them.” 

The board is not required to respond to comments made during the public period of the meeting. They thanked Mitchler for speaking.