Another Policy Item on the 05/30/2024 Berkeley Heights BOE Meeting Agenda

Since every political and special interest in town doesn’t like our site – why not just bring up the teachers’ union?

The main change to this policy involves language that appears to indicate that the only courses of action that can be taken concerning violating the code of ethics are those specified by the teachers’ union (NEA or its affiliates).

Old Policy:

New Policy:

The language seems clear that the labor unions representing teachers’ interests are responsible for defining the remedy for the violation. I need to become more familiar with how union contracts work. Still, the idea that a Union has an exclusive right to determine a response to a member’s violation of ethics seems like an inherent conflict of interest.

It is entirely proper for professional associations to define a code of ethics. However, employers and licensing boards are usually empowered to determine the remedy.  It is also appropriate for professional associations to advise on a remedy but the policy makes it appear as if the District is limited only to what the teachers union would determine as options when an ethics violation occurs.

Hopefully, I am misinterpreting this, and if I am, maybe the Board can consider clarifying the language on the policy.

Proposed Policy

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