One work day after telling GMCS School District Superintendent Mike Hyatt that he was the new president of the Union, Sawyer Masonjones was put under investigation and subsequently fired. Multiple times in this, the district failed to follow contract and law with his firing, including denying a Union representative at various meetings. Until this point, Sawyer Masonjones earned positive evaluations, had no letters of reprimand, and had no indication that there were concerns of their classroom. 

 Accusations are now being leveled at him that include letting students vape in class, inappropriate conduct with students, and neglecting classroom duties. Charges that will ruin his career in teaching. These accusations, however, are unfounded and false, based on hearsay and twisting of facts to make it seem as bad as possible. This isn't the first time the district has used the disciplinary process to get rid of teachers that represent the union or those that have spoken up against unethical practices of the district. The pattern is always the same - they are investigated, they create or exaggerate misconduct, and intimidate them into resigning or being fired. This is all an attempt to silence the union, to reverse the huge growth in membership MCFUSE has driven, and to make sure that teachers remain in the culture of fear that prevents them from speaking out against GMCS.

During all this, MCFUSE has been negotiating the new contract for the 25-27 term. But the District has refused to bargain in good faith. At every step of negotiations, MCFUSE has bargained in good faith, making concessions in an attempt to meet in the middle on issues like teacher overwork, support in student discipline, unbalanced grievance process, and progressive discipline. All proposals were similar to other contracts around the state and reasonable. But outside a 3 minor provisions, the district has neither agreed, offered counterproposed language, or attempted to meet in the middle with the Union. And still, GMCS delays, ignoring communications for a month about the contract negotiations, returning a final counterproposal that still made no movement towards the Union.

Make no mistake, this is another unethical act done by GMCS to interfere with the union, something they have done repeatedly over the years. They don't want teachers speaking out about the issues of the district, just as they don't want parents or the community to be able to speak at School Board Meetings, just as when the School Board instituted itself as the Indian Educational Council. GMCS and the School Board do not want people to be able to have input into our schools, they do not want their practices brought to light. If our educational system is going to succeed, going to improve, going to truly be an asset to our community and our children, we need to come together as teachers, staff, the district, parents, and students to discuss and implement solutions to the problems it has.

By signing this petition, you are asking the School Board and GMCS to stop the retaliation against the Union President and to bargain and deal with MCFUSE in good faith.