For the first time ever, the Bedford teachers union said it voted last week to declare they had "no confidence" in the district's administration.
Bedford Education Association President Trish Duncan said the Nov. 17 "no confidence" vote was due to a loss of trust in Superintendent Cassandra Johnson and her administration after seeing little movement on issues facing teachers and students.
"We sat down with Dr. Johnson about three weeks ago as a union ... my vice president, myself, our labor relations consultant, and her and her attorney and said, 'This is what we need to see change.' And there was no response to that," she said.
Duncan said the district has undertaken many lengthy, costly investigations of teachers and other staff in recent years. The union in a news release said some staff have stated they wish to leave the district due to the "stressful and unprofessional work environment created by Dr. Johnson’s leadership as well as the constant fear that the slightest honest mistake will lead to months-long investigations and ultimately lead to a ‘resign or be terminated’ outcome."
At the same time, Duncan said teachers did not receive a raise last year and are only negotiating contracts on a year-to-year basis due to budget issues.
The district defended Johnson's record in a statement shared with media outlets last week.
"Under her leadership, the district’s Ohio Report Card ratings have increased, and finances have stabilized for the first time in years," the Nov. 20 statement reads. "BCSD has not needed to return to the community for an operating levy in many years."
Voters approved a major bond issue in 2023, Johnson's first year in office, to build a new middle school, kindergarten through second grade building and high school. Johnson has also overseen reinstatement of career technical education programs and implemented an intramural sports programs for younger grades, the district said.
Duncan said staff are teaching in buildings that are in "disarray" as the district builds several new buildings.
"Buildings that have vermin in them, buildings that have mice walking through the lights or mice in traps, or dirty toilets, dirty sinks, dirty bathrooms," Duncan said. "It's like because they're gonna be knocked down, they're just not paying attention to them."
She said teachers continue to see a lack of support from administrators when responding to student behavioral problems. Teachers across the country have reported behavioral challenges on the rise since the return to in-person classes after the pandemic closed schools.
"We have times where we need leadership to help us and support us and guide us, and that's just not happening," Duncan said.
The district said "discipline incidents have been reported as decreasing" in its statement. Johnson also stood by her administration's approach to staff discipline and investigations.
"She has always stated she is a child advocate first and has remained steadfast in that commitment," the district wrote. "She has also refused to compromise her integrity or be intimidated by those who ask her to do so. As a mandated reporter, when issues are brought forward that appear egregious, she seeks legal guidance from the Board attorney and proceeds according to law and ethics—never at the expense of her faith, integrity, or family."
