School Leaders in Huntington Beach Faulted

Teachers in the strife-torn Huntington Beach City School District told the school board and Supt. Diana Peters on Tuesday night that an 85% majority of the instructors have voted “no confidence” in both the board and superintendent.

Carol Autrey, president of the Huntington Beach Elementary Teachers Assn., the union representing the teachers, told the board that the teachers voted last week by secret ballot. She said the 216 teachers in the elementary school district requested a “no-confidence” referendum because of continued unhappiness despite having reached a contract settlement with the school district last month.

After more than a year of negotiations and a 1-day strike in May, the teachers union said Oct. 13 that it “reluctantly agreed” to a new contract that provided a 3.4% retroactive pay raise for last year and a 4.175% raise for the current year.

The current year’s increase, however, includes the higher cost of all fringe benefits. The union had wanted a 4.1% pay increase, with the district also assuming the cost of increased fringes.

Autrey said the teachers are also displeased that the school board did not endorse Proposition 98 in the Nov. 8 election. That proposition, which barely passed statewide, provides more money for all elementary and secondary schools in the state.