Ogden School District teachers have asked for a private meeting with the school board to discuss a "breach of confidence" with district leadership.
The request, made last week in registered letters to each school board member, asks for an executive session with the Ogden Education Association's board of directors before teachers hold their own "emergency" meeting Feb. 19.The decision was made after faculty representatives from each school met.
OEA President Ann Moulton said teachers are concerned about plans to restructure the district to preclude a projected $1 million deficit in this year's budget and a festering chasm between teachers and administrators.
"There is a real paranoia going around, and everybody is a victim. We have just got to start talking through this," she said.
School board vice president Donna Barker said the board probably will review the request at its regular board meeting next week.
Barker refused to say whether she is receptive to the idea, but board member Phyllis Shaw said something must be done.
"It's time we laid some cards on the table," Shaw said. "I think obviously there needs to be a meeting of some sort. I can't see a thing to be gained by infighting. Everybody loses."
An OEA newsletter to teachers this month said the district is unhappy that the OEA disclosed the salaries and benefits of top administrators in an update to teachers last month.
Meanwhile, several members of a parents advisory committee have complained to schools Superintendent James West that some principals are stockpiling budget carry-overs, then drafting the PTA to raise funds for their schools.
The parents, meeting with West last month at a routine advisory committee meeting, said those principals have refused to open their books to public inspection. They asked for a directive from the district to force such disclosure.
"I don't think we need a policy, but I hope that all principals will be open to the public, and many principals are doing that," West said Friday.
West said neighborhood councils he organized at each school are now dealing with principals on the issue of opening budgets.
"They (principals) ought to share that with the public and the PTA when asked to, sure," he said.
West said each school is given so much money a year, calculated by the number of students, and has the option to carry over funds for long-range needs.
"They may choose to save for three or four years to buy a copy machine, and if they spend the money in lieu of a (PTA) fund-raiser, the machine isn't bought," West said.