On Monday, May 9, the Brookline School Committee (BSC) published a statement with updates regarding the ongoing contract negotiations with the Brookline Educators Union (BEU), and the BEU responded on Tuesday, May 10 to “clarify” the claims made by the BSC.

In their statement, the BSC wrote that during the mediation session on May 9, they proposed two consecutive three-year agreements with teachers and mid-level administrators: a 6% increase in salaries over the period Sept. 1, 2020 to Aug. 31, 2023, followed by an 8% increase over the period Sept. 1, 2023 to Aug. 23, 2026.

The BSC also wrote that the town voted to transfer one-time federal funds to aid in closing the projected budget deficit for the 2022-23 school year and that this transfer was aimed at saving approximately 45 educator positions. The BSC stated that they are not asking for any other changes to educators’ contracts.

The BSC additionally included information regarding the BEU’s response to their offer.

“The BEU said that this offer was ‘not acceptable,’ did not make a counteroffer, and walked out of mediation. We have asked the mediator to request that the BEU make a counteroffer before our next School Committee meeting on Thursday, May 12,” the BSC wrote.

The BEU’s response to the BSC’s statement begins with “OUR EDUCATORS’ WORKING CONDITIONS ARE OUR STUDENTS’ LEARNING CONDITIONS.”

The BEU’s public statement says that the BSC’s message “did not tell the whole story.”

“The BEU did not ‘walk out’ on mediation that night, and is taking the last school committee proposal under advisement,” the BEU wrote. “Furthermore, the BEU has in fact made counter offers on the economic proposals, but the School Committee has refused to address our proposals on working conditions and racial justice. We have made proposals regarding prep and planning time and proposals aimed at attracting and retaining educators of color. These proposals are based on the professional judgment of educators that will benefit our students. Yet to the school committee, these proposals are not even worth talking about.”

The BEU expressed frustration about the BSC’s proposal for annual “step raises.”

“Steps are not raises; steps represent the base pay for educators stretched out across many years. Compared to other professions, educators agree to wait many years before achieving maximum potential earnings. They do this to help the municipalities that they work for. Raises are the actual increases in pay to address the rising cost of living,” the BEU wrote.

The BEU said they are asking the BSC to sign a written agreement by Thursday, May 12 at 5 p.m.

This is a developing story. Please check back here for more information and updates.