TIVERTON— Faculty members of the Tiverton teachers’ union have taken a vote of no confidence in Supt. Peter Sanchioni.
While the vote was unanimous, the union said a few members who did not attend the meeting disagreed with this move.
In April, Amy Mullen, a teacher and union president, was fired by the school committee for alleged insubordination.
Mullen sued the school committee, claiming that Sanchioni repeatedly violated the collective bargaining agreement by refusing to bargain with the union over the terms of the new distance learning plan.
Mullen claims Sanchioni refused to let her attend a meeting with teachers in which the distance learning plan was discussed and told her he would write her up for insubordination if she didn’t leave.
In a statement from the union, members listed the following concerns:
The termination of the union president for doing union work. The union says that Sanchioni “has continually demonstrated a refusal to acknowledge the fact that when the union and management come to the table, they sit as equals.”
The union also claims that Manchioni’s “top-down management style” involves bullying and intimidation. When teachers challenge the superintendent, the union alleges, that they are met with a “domineering, belittling attitude .”
National Education Association Tiverton, in its statement, asks the Tiverton School Committee to hire an independent agent to investigate its concerns. He or she would report directly to the School Committee.
“At a time when leadership from the top needed to show vision and the ability to collaborate with those on the front lines of our children’s education, we were instead given the back of his hand and essentially told we were to be seen and not heard” the union wrote.
“We have never lost faith in our students. We have lost confidence in our Superintendent.”
U.S. District Court John J. McConnell on April 28 denied Mullen’s request for a temporary restraining order reinstating Mullen.
Steven Robinson, the lawyer for the school committee, argued that Mullen was fired for “on-going disruptive, unprofessional behavior by the employee, for which ample and abundant documentation and warnings were provided.”
The Journal has reached out to Robinson for comment.