The Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA) is showcasing its demands on ads on buses and bus shelters across the county as part of its ‘We Love Our Public Schools’ public awareness campaign.
“Montgomery County once prided itself on hiring the best educators and paying us what we are worth. Nowadays, we hear overwhelming frustration and concern because MCPS has chosen to allow educators to suffer from years of neglect and abuse. They continue to be dismissive at the bargaining table as we struggle to give students the education they deserve,” said MCEA President Jennifer Martin in a news release.
The teachers’ union and Montgomery County Public Schools are involved in contract talks that started about four months ago. According to MCEA, “MCPS has yet to bargain substantially on proposals that address staffing shortages and ratios, safety concern and underfunding of our schools.”
MCEA is seeking competitive wages to recruit and retain staff, better student to teacher ratios, extra learning time to address students’ well-being and equitable funding at every school, according to the news release.
The union also would like free lunches and food pantries at schools in high-need areas.
The union is circulating a petition that states, “We call on MCPS to reinvest in our schools with a fair contract that addresses the core building blocks of a strong public school in every community, so that all students can have successful outcomes. By signing this petition and joining our campaign, “We Love Our Public Schools,” you are supporting the educators and students of Montgomery County.”
“We love our public schools. We also love our students and our jobs, but our schools are understaffed, and we are overworked and underpaid,” said Georgene Fountain, a music teacher at Daly Elementary School in Germantown.
“Fewer teachers mean higher class sizes. Counselors, and mental health and special education educators have impossible caseloads. We are fighting to bring back a well-rounded education and support students in every grade to make sure they reach their full potential. We are fighting for strong public schools in every community,” she said.
According to the union, 1,100 educators left MCPS, and there are still vacancies.
