Bridgeport teachers told hall duty doesn’t include confronting intruders

BRIDGEPORT — When classroom teachers at Columbus School were assigned lunch duty this fall, it violated their contract.

It took awhile, but the practice was stopped even though a class action grievance that was filed was never sustained. Afraid the issue could resurface the teacher’s union sought and received school board approval on Monday in the matter.

The board, however, denied a second part of the grievance that sought to clarify contract language that allows teachers to be assigned hall duty.

Columbus teachers taken off lunch duty, instead were assigned to monitor hallways during lunch shifts.

Eric Marshall, an attorney representing the Bridgeport Education Association said the problem isn’t hall duty but what’s in that job description. The contract doesn’t spell it out.

Some teachers, apparently confused hall duty with security detail, which the contract specifically prohibits. There have been instances where teachers on hall duty have taken it upon themselves to approach people who slip in through side doors or angry parents demanding to see a teacher.

That left some board members confused.

“What is the grievance, exactly?” asked board member Joe Lombard.

“Are we saying that when security is away and someone comes in a building an adult would not direct a person to the main office,” added LaMar Kennedy, the board’s newest member.

Board member Joe Sokolovic said it appears that some teachers might be taking it upon themselves to act as security.

“I am wondering what we are doing here,” Floyd Dugas, an attorney for the school board, said. “In most districts I represent if problem fixed, it goes away.”

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from News https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Bridgeport-teachers-told-hall-duty-doesn-t-13807965.php