A compromise regarding school furlough Fridays could be just a few days away, as mediation by a federal judge gets underway to avert further court intervention.What began with a pair of lawsuits of parents against the state and DOE has grown into a settlement effort that's reaching out to the unions too, since their contracts outline the furlough days.
Late last week, Judge David Ezra recused himself from handling two lawsuits seeking to block furlough Fridays.
Instead, he stepped in to help race toward an out of court settlement, in advance of mainland Judge Wallace Tashima of the 9th circuit taking on the docket next Monday.
“There are alternatives, and it's just a question of getting the parties together and figuring out how to proceed and hopefully Judge Ezra's efforts will contribute to the process,” said attorney, Eric Seitz.
The parties to the lawsuits did not include the teachers and HGEA unions whose furlough Friday schedules are part of their new contracts.
Despite the governor saying she'd be open to renegotiation, the attorney general said in a court filing late last week "There is public interest in ensuring that there would not be massive chaos... which would result if the validity of the HSTA contracts was put into doubt."
As part of the mediation process with the parties to the lawsuit, Ezra is also calling in the unions to ensure they're part of drafting any compromise.
The board of education chairman said that's a good sign that people haven't given up on the issue and any movement on anybody's part is hopeful.
"I think that's fine. I think the interest of the unions have always been something that everybody's been concerned about,” said Seitz.
The HSTA declined to speculate on what might happen in the proceedings but when asked if they're open to contract changes said “we don't claim to have a monopoly on good ideas, but it's difficult to see how well-meaning people who haven't been involved in the protracted negotiations process could come up with something workable in matter of days."
An HGEA spokesperson said they're waiting to see what happens with the teachers union.
The department of education said in a statement this evening they are willing to return to the bargaining table to discuss viable options to restore instructional days.
