The recently ratified Highland Teacher Association (HTA) contract has caused some controversy over wording that gives preference to HTA members in coaching and advisor positions. During the public comment portion of the recent Highland Central School District Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, August 5, a resident asked the board why existing coaches “who have put the time and effort in” shouldn’t be allowed to have first consideration. “Speaking as a taxpayer in this town and a parent with children,” he said, “and speaking for my children, and probably for every parent out there, they want the best coach for their children.”
Schools Superintendent Deborah Haab defended the contract, stating that under the New York State Taylor law, all schools are required to give qualified union members the right of first refusal for assignments considered unit-member work. “The negotiations [for the contract] were not simple, and this recently ratified contract was the result of two years, if not longer, of negotiations. This was part of our conversation during negotiations, but the ability for an HTA member to have first right of refusal to any and all positions has existed prior to this contract. We were able to at least get language [in the contract] that allows the district, if any position is not filled by July 1, to open those positions up to others to apply.”
Coaching is very important to the students’ lives, Haab said, but “it was a piece of a contract that was negotiated. We didn’t get all of the pieces that we wanted, but we got some major things; a greater contribution to health insurance, a new generation of employees that will make contributions in the future that will lower the district’s costs. It was part of a package and moving forward, we will look at that language in the future to see if there are ways we can improve or change it.”
Former Highland High School (HHS) varsity boys’ soccer coach Frank Alfonso took the microphone to protest the loss of his job due to precedence being given to an HTA member. He said he’s been a coach at HHS “off-and-on” since 1985, and noted that when he was approached three years ago to take the soccer coaching position, he explained to the athletic director that 20 years earlier he’d been varsity basketball coach and lost that position to a teacher, and didn’t want to be put in that position again. “I felt that if I was going to be here, then I wanted to be here for the long haul,” said Alfonso. “And an HTA member did apply for that position, but I was the one that was recommended to the superintendent of schools and the school board, and they voted me in 7-0.”
Referencing the agenda for the night’s meeting, which included a resolution for the board to approve coaching appointments for the entire school year, Alfonso said that of the 46 positions that the board would be appointing or tabling for another time, “21 are not members of the HTA. There are 27 varsity positions which you will approve, disapprove or table, and 14 of those are not HTA members. Only three positions were changed, were affected, and I was affected by two of them. I was told not to take it personal, it’s the law, but yes, I will take it personal.”
Alfonso said he’d had opportunities to coach with other districts, but that he’d wanted to stay in the district in which he’d grown up and built a house in, so his son could grow up part of the Highland community as well. “Last year I coached the varsity boys’ soccer team here, and when I spoke at the [year-end] dinner I complimented the kids and the parents because it was one of the most enjoyable seasons I’ve had,” he said. “I felt I had the respect of every player there and that went back and forth. There were 22 members on that team, I coached that team by myself and not one player on that team quit. So I’ll sit back, I guess, for the next three years, and watch my son participate in sports, but I can tell you, if the rules and regulations this board is supposed to follow are not followed, I guess I’ll be back up here. I’m very disappointed.”
According to a statement on the district’s website, coaches are appointed on a year-to-year basis and must reapply annually. “These decisions are governed by New York State law. The non-appointment of someone who was in a position last year is in no way a reflection of his or her performance. Highland has outstanding coaches and advisors consisting of both HTA and non-union members. The Board highly regards all these individuals and commends their past work and dedication to our students.”
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