Becker School Board rescinds communication guidelines that prompted lawsuit from teachers union
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Becker School Board members voted unanimously to repeal a communication plan that was the subject of a lawsuit filed this week by the Becker Education Association, an affiliate of Education Minnesota.
The lawsuit alleged that the district policy, approved this past spring, violates the free speech of educators and could interfere in their duties as mandatory reporters.
The school board repealed the communication plan but pointed to the district’s previous statement on the lawsuit, which read in part, “We disagree with the claims and assertions being made in those filings, and believe the lawsuit misconstrues the purpose and effect of the language in the School District’s plan.”
During the meeting Tuesday night, one member said he was “disappointed that we’ve had to go through this adversarial process working through that communications plan. We’re also disappointed, as we stated in the district’s statement to media, that the lawsuit misconstrues the purpose and effect of the district’s plan.”
Education Minnesota posted a news release in response to the communication plan being rescinded. Co-president Jason Baune said in that news release, “We’re relieved. The Becker community deserves to hear the unfiltered truth from classroom educators about what’s happening in our schools, both the successes and things we need to improve. Becker teachers hope to work with the school board in the future to provide students the best education possible.”