The Whitefish school board has denied a bid by the teachers union to use prep time to discuss union business.

The board of trustees voted unanimously on Tuesday to deny a grievance filed by the Whitefish Education Association.

“The evidence presented by the union does not establish the existence of a binding past practice granting teachers the right to conduct union business during work hours. Instead, it has been the past practice of the parties for the district to grant a limited amount of release time during the school day for labor-management meetings and other activities deemed to be mutually beneficial to the district and the union,” said Shannon Hanson, who made the motion to deny the union grievance.

“In denying the grievance, the school board does not seek to alter this practice, but does emphasize the fact that the use of work time to conduct union business is not a contract right, but a privilege that has been extended by the district to promote common goals,” Hanson continued.

After the special meeting adjourned, Kelly Haverlandt, president of the Whitefish Education Association, said she had no comment on any further action the union may take until the association receives a hard copy of the board’s official decision.

“It’s a work in progress,” Haverlandt said.

The grievance initially was presented to trustees at a Jan. 10 board meeting by Bill Howell, a field consultant for Montana Education Association-Montana Federation of Teachers. 

The grievance followed the union’s initial request to use a school conference room to conduct union business. The other issue was whether or not teachers could conduct union business during prep periods.

Preparatory periods are class periods during the school day during which teachers plan and prepare for instructional time.

While the school district initially granted the union use of school property for meetings before and after school or during lunch, it did not give permission for the association to use prep time during the school day.

The association disagreed, arguing that the union contract is open to interpretation and that, historically, members have discussed union business during prep time, possibly setting a precedent.

Howell said members use brief periods of time that are convenient for other members and do not interrupt their duties.

“This has been the established practice in the district — that the union president had the ability to arrange for meetings with individual members or small groups of members who were available at those specific times,” Howell said. “Now 90-plus percent of the union’s business is conducted after school, but there are times and occasions when it’s important for a union president to be able to run over on their time to someone else’s prep time to meet with them.” 

At the Jan. 10 meeting, Haverlandt said in the past it was rare, if at all, that members were prevented from discussing union matters during prep time.

“It does not take away anything from our teachers’ professionalism and what they do in the classroom,” Haverlandt said. “I think when you look at our teachers, you know where their heart is as far as teaching, but if we can get something done, whatever it is, our insurance ... all these things happen during prep time and it’s rare teachers use their prep time for union business.”

Trustee Charlie Abell said at the Jan. 10 board meeting that prep time should be specific to instructional planning.

“To me, the prep time is a very important time for professionals to prepare for your job and to have it broken up and maybe it doesn’t happen a lot, I would be concerned about taking time from that to do union business or any other business, personal or otherwise where you should be getting ready to do what we got you here for: to teach kids.”

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.