D11 teachers frustrated over Board of Education decision to dissolve master agreement, enact handbook

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - On Wednesday, District 11 teachers and community members gathered outside of D11's Administration Building to oppose board members ending a controversial master agreement.

In December, District 11's Board of Education voted to end the agreement between the district and the teacher's union: Colorado Springs Education Association.

Ultimately, the board says they aren't budging on the decision to go forth with a handbook.   

"The board has made it very clear that they don't want teachers as part of those decision making processes," D11 teacher and parent Jaclyn Roberson said.

This comes after board members voted to end a decades-long master agreement that impacts things like salary and planning time.

However, many teachers feel it's so much more than that, "We're able to sit on committees and make decisions throughout the district with an equal voice to district level administration," Roberson said.

D11 teacher Dr. Angel Givler-viers echoed that point by adding, "A lot of teachers are in this district because of our contract. And we're afraid that we are going to lose a lot of good teachers if they really go through with this."

Not all share the same stance, adding that the board made the right decision, "They've been extremely good for the district, and this contract has actually encumbered them from that at times rather than helped it," Joel Sorensen, with D11 Momentum said.

Board members tell KRDO13 that the district is moving in a new direction to become more innovative.

To hear from all community members, D11's board is hosting four town halls over the next next months in regard to the new handbook.

On top of that, a committee is being created for the handbook in which any D11 staff is encouraged to apply. Applications for that open on Monday, January 13.