Teachers in red apparel filled desks and lined the walls of a Chenery Upper Elementary School classroom Wednesday evening to notify the Select Board of the union’s recent vote of no confidence in school and town officials.
Speaking before the Select Board, English language educator Jen Karigianis shared that in a survey of the Belmont Education Association’s 535 members, 97.5% of respondents voted no confidence in Superintendent Jill Geiser, Director of Human Capital Michael McAllister, the Belmont School Committee, and the Select Board. The survey garnered a 90% response rate.
The vote comes as contract negotiations between the Belmont Public Schools and the BEA, the union representing educators, are set to resume March 9 under state mediation, just over a month after the BEA voted to move to a work-to-rule job action.
“I respect the voices of teachers and take their concerns seriously,” School Committee Chair Meghan Moriarty said in a statement. “I am also deeply disappointed by this attempt by union leaders to attack and undermine the Town and District officials. I have strong confidence in Dr. Geiser and Mike McAllister, who have remained actively engaged throughout this process and have always participated in negotiations in good faith.”
While the BEA and the School Committee have reached some tentative agreements — including on the district providing 10 parental leave days — talks, particularly around compensation, stalled around December. In addition to compensation, there are nine additional outstanding proposals, according to Moriarty.
On Wednesday evening, Kathryn Hutchinson, a sixth-grade teacher at Chenery, pleaded with town officials to “use override funds for their intended purpose,” explaining that even in a two-income household, her family lives paycheck to paycheck.
“We struggle to keep up, even with our two full-time jobs,” she said.
Hutchinson was referring to the override mitigation fund, established to limit the size of future Proposition 21/2 overrides.
Hutchinson, one of several educators to speak to the Select Board Wednesday, added that while it may be acknowledged nationwide that teachers are underpaid, acknowledgment isn’t enough.
“Acknowledgement alone does not solve the problem, action does,” she said.
Starting March 9, the BEA and the School Committee will meet every two weeks for negotiations until an agreement is reached.
The current contracts expired in August 2025; three of the collective bargaining groups are currently in negotiations.
