Cary District 26 School Board Declines Arbitration Offer

At a special Board of Education on August 4, the Cary School District 26 Board of Education agreed that it would respectfully decline the teachers' union's request to submit the remaining issues between the board and Cary Education Association to binding interest arbitration, a district press release said.

The teachers' union sent a letter to the board on July 27, asking the board to consider settling negotiations through binding arbitration, which would allow a single arbitrator to review both proposals and determine a settlement.

In a letter sent to the teachers' union on Aug. 5, the board said "it simply cannot put the economic future of the district into the hands of a third party arbitrator, who could render a binding decision on economic issues which could financially cripple the district."

"Putting the future of our district in the hands of a third party would be irresponsible, the district simply cannot afford the current proposal from the CEA. Being forced to accept the proposal not only takes us backwards financially, but also would delay us in achieving our goal of bringing back programs and lowering class sizes," Jason Larry, vice-president of the board said in a press release.

The board and CEA are at impasse but will meet for a mediation session on Tuesday, Aug. 9.