Tagged: Philip Rumore

New Buffalo schools superintendent Pamela Brown is facing her first big challenge.

Fifty-four teachers are in limbo, with no designated assignment, after an arbitrator determined that transferring the teachers to another school violated their contract. The transfers are part of an accepted turnaround program for three low performing schools. Brown has yet to appeal the decision and is waiting for assistance from the state Education Department.

Teachers union leader Philip Rumore has hired private counsel to fight transferring the teachers.

A lawsuit filed by the Buffalo Teachers Federation will have representatives from the union and the Buffalo school district in court this week.

Turnaround plans for three underperforming schools, Bilingual Center 33, Futures Academy and Drew Science Magnet, call for transferring teachers at those schools. BTF president Philip Rumore claims this move violates a collective bargaining agreement. The state has designated more than $5 million to assist those schools.

Rumore hopes a judge will halt the transfers and allow for arbitration to resolve the issue.