Union: Teachers Graduation Attendance Up to Them

Kinnelon Education Association (KEA) President Tom Shannon responded Friday to statements made by President Margaret Zybrick at Thursday night's meeting regarding KEA members and high school teachers not planning to attend the high school commencement ceremony on June 15.

"Attending graduation is an activity for which teachers can volunteer," Shannon said. "Why a teacher chooses to not attend is his or her personal business. I hope the board president respects these personal choices in order to avoid any implication of impropriety on the part of any teacher."

According to Interim Superintendent Diane DiGiuseppe, no high school teachers, with the exception of the chorus director and band director, have signed up to volunteer at graduation, which she said is unusual for this time of year. Zybrick said at the beginning of the meeting that all teachers are invited to attend graduation. After the meeting, she said she hopes the teachers would want to attend because they have educated the students who will be leaving the .

Some community members have also said that the teachers have not been willing to write letters of recommendation for the students. Shannon responded.

"In regards to other rumors you have heard, all I can assure is that the members of the KEA continue to fulfill all professional, contractual responsibilities with integrity and commitment," he said.

"When the time comes to provide more specific details, it will be very apparent how reasonable the KEA has been all along."

Kinnelon High School Principal Dr. Wayne Merckling said he was not aware of the teachers not writing letters.

"I am not aware of teachers refusing to write letters of recommendation for students. Usually those requests are made in the fall," he said.

Merckling did confirm, though, that teachers have not volunteered to attend the graduation ceremony.

"Ms. DiGiuseppe’s statement concerning graduation is correct. But I am sure it will still be a ceremony that honors our graduates in the usual fashion that our tradition dictates," he said. "Our school continues to be a caring and supportive community because of the professionalism of our entire staff."

Also at Thursday's board meeting, Board Vice President Keith Dama said the board's representation would be meeting with arbitrators on June 13. Shannon said the KEA "looks forward to resolving contractual issues" at that meeting.