FISHERS — Hamilton Southeastern Schools teachers are locked in a contract dispute with district administration, arguing that rising insurance premiums are effectively slashing their pay despite maintaining the same salary.
The Hamilton Southeastern Educators Association (HSEA) says teachers are taking home less money this year than last year, even though their base salaries haven't changed. They say higher insurance costs are to blame.
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"We are not asking for an incremental step. We are not asking for master's pay from anyone who attained their master's since January 1st of this year. We are asking for our teachers to not take home less this year than they did last year," said Tyler Zerbe, president of HSEA.
The issue has reached mediation after recent bargaining sessions failed to produce an agreement by the state-issued November 15 deadline.
Zerbe said the district brought back the same proposal teachers had already rejected.
"Last week, we did meet with the administration one more time. We brought several options on behalf of a bargaining unit as a way to budget. The option that they brought back for us was an option that they had already brought previously." Zerbe said.
The dispute has spilled into the community, with a recent school board meeting ending in protest. Parents and community members have expressed frustration with the process.
"It was very frustrating to see new faces show up and they were silenced and weren't even given an opportunity to speak," said Stephanie Hunt, a mom with numerous kids enrolled in the district.
The district declined an interview, citing the ongoing mediation process. However, Superintendent Patrick Mapes released a statement defending the district's position and criticizing the teachers' union approach.
"We at HSE Schools remain committed to negotiating in good faith and are disappointed by the false narratives being promoted and the unproductive path by which the HSEA representatives have chosen to approach this process," Mapes said.
"While we recognize the disruption these negotiations have caused for all in our community, our Board of School Trustees has a responsibility to appropriate funds in ways that protect our school district from long-term deficits, and we all must make decisions that preserve the district's financial health while protecting the classroom experience for every student."
Zerbe pushed back against claims of false narratives.
"We do not feel like anything that we have not put out is not the truth. None of our numbers have been refuted specifically by anyone in administration or in the community," Zerbe said.
Parent Stephanie Hunt expressed support for the teachers and criticism of district leadership.
"We trust our teachers. We trust the people who are on that HSEA negotiating team. Mr. Mapes and his crew have been here for about two years, and this school board has been in place since 2022, and they have not fostered trust. They have not built connections with our community," Hunt said.
Teachers cannot legally strike in Indiana, so they continue reporting to work daily. However, they are making their stance known by wearing all black to school and participating in various protest efforts that do not affect the student experience.
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Griffin Gonzalez is the In Your Community multimedia journalist for Hamilton County. He joined WRTV in January of 2024. Griffin loves to tell stories about people overcoming their biggest obstacles and share the good news that his community has to offer. Share your story ideas and important issues with Griffin by emailing him at griffin.gonzalez@wrtv.com.
