In a letter from the state teacher’s union legal council to the Erie’s Public School Superintendent Brian Polito, ”the EEA vehemently asserts that the District cannot legally direct EEA members to work from an unsafe and dangerous work environment.”
When asked by Talk Erie’s Joel Natalie if the Erie High workplace was unsafe, Erie Education Association President Mary Theuerkauf said “yes, without hesitation”.
Theuerkauf cited a pattern of student abuse of teacher members. “You know, when a kid is in your face, and saying something, you know, vulgar, diresptectful, right up in your face […] that is the start of an escalation of violence. That should be unacceptable.”
Polito has indicated that the district is developing a plan to safely return staff and student to Erie High.
Letter from PSEA attorney:
