It appears the relationship between the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA) and the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School District is not improving, at least as the leadership of HSEA sees it.

In a gathering of teachers held prior to the Wednesday school board meeting, HSEA President Abby Taylor said the pending Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) filed against the HSE District is taking “an exponentially long time” to settle.  She also said the local teachers’ union will be filing another ULP and a lawsuit against the HSE School Corporation.

According to Taylor, the pending ULP relates to the union asking questions about a move by the HSE administration, taking teachers with special education certification from general education classrooms to the special ed program.  Asking questions about this led to HSE Schools HR Director Brian Butler “blasting’ Ms. Taylor, as she explains it.  Mr. Butler has since resigned.

HSEA, in its ULP filing, asked that school board members be trained in how to deal with the local teachers’ association, and the District to publish a letter to the public “accepting and owning responsibility” for its part in the situation.  Taylor says HSE has refused.  “We did nothing wrong,” Taylor told teachers.

HSEA is planning a lawsuit over adding time to the work day of elementary teachers without it being included in the contract between HSEA and the HSE Schools.  Taylor says this is required under Indiana law.

Taylor also says HSEA plans to file yet another ULP against the HSEA District, but provided no details on that planned action.