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MacPherson’s comments were in line with the other candidates — all of whom allowed that the final decision would be tough and couldn’t just be decided by cost factors.
“Speaking from the heart, I’d like it not to be outsourced,” said Jones, who has two children attending district schools and works as an audit manager for the Chester County Controller’s Office. “But, speaking as an auditor, we have to explore all avenues.”
Still, she said, making such a move would have “to prove cost-effective, year-after-year” before she would be comfortable supporting it.
From left, Victor DuPuis and Robert McPherson, Region A candidates for Unionville Board of Education; Eileen Bushelow, candidate Region B, and Sharon Jones, Frank Murphy and Timotha Trigg, candidates in Region C.
Murphy may have expressed the most passion on the subject, though.
“This is a more difficult decision than the teacher’s contract,” he said. “We know, eventually, there will be a new contract and the teachers will continue to teach in their classrooms. The cost here is not just dollars and cents, but some 80 people, some of whom are our neighbors.”
Murphy said he’d prefer not to outsource anything, but agreed with Bushelow’s assessment that there would likely be a savings number that each member would see as a threshold and that each member’s threshold might be different.
“I don’t know what that number is for me, right now,” Murphy said. “I can say I will vote what is in the best interests of the district.”
All of the candidates also were asked about how they would work to conduct the ongoing teachers’ contract negotiations in a more civil manner.
“I’m not in favor of the public negotiations,” DuPuis said. “My guess is that teachers are not as far apart the public might perceive it.”
MacPherson gave a lot of credit to Murphy, who has been the board’s point person in the talks.
“I commend Frank for maintaining civility in a difficult negotiation,” he said. “The two factions are at opposite ends of the spectrum, but I think the board has a good handle on the fiscal realities.
“Of course, you can’t just draw a line in the sand, you have to be willing to work, to compromise to get things from the other side,” he said. “And you have to keep the comments, the vitriol, in the negotiation meetings — you don’t bring them in front of the school board meeting, like we saw the other night.”
MacPherson was referring to a testy exchange Monday night between Unionville-Chadds Ford Education Association President Pat Clark and Murphy during the board meeting.
Murphy agreed that trying to keep a civil tone is really important, as both the teachers and board members will continue to need to coexist and work together in the coming years.
“You’re going to see them around town,” he said. “Maybe they’ll be teaching your kids next year.”
Administrators have accepted a pay freeze.
Support staff has accepted a pay freeze.
WestChester Teachers have accepted a pay freeze.
All federal civilian workers have been given a two-year pay freeze.
Only the UCFEA is greedily unwilling to help out andvery willing to see layoffs and outsourcing or non-union workers.