In southwestern Shelby County, one of the state’s smallest school districts announced plans to hire a new superintendent. The candidate? An elementary school principal at the center of an unfair labor practice claim, filed by the district’s own teachers.
The Southwestern Consolidated Classroom Teachers Association has filed an unfair labor practice claim against Josh Edwards, alleging that the Southwestern Consolidated Schools elementary principal treated teachers unfairly, intimidated them and retaliated against anyone who raises concerns.
They filed the claim March 8 with the Indiana Education Employment Relations Board. It paints a picture of a difficult workplace led by a principal with a habit of “yelling at teachers and slamming his fists on desks.”
That district’s school board has stood by Edwards, who has strongly denied the claims, announcing their intention to hire him as the district’s next superintendent March 9. He's been serving as interim superintendent this school year.
Interested in Indiana education news? Sign up for Study Hall, IndyStar's weekly education newsletter
The president of the local teachers’ union, which represents the district’s 40 teachers, said he’s afraid it may now lose as many as half of its educators.
"We’re very concerned," said Douglass Gaking. "We're in danger of losing as many as half the teachers in our corporation and we’re very worried about what the effects will be on the students and in the community."
Edwards says the claims...
QUEENSLAND— A nurse in Australia has been formally reprimanded after admitting he submitted forged documents to Qantas (QF) in an attempt to secure a refund for a non-refundable airline ticket. Th...