For the first time in more than a decade, the Fayetteville-Manlius Teacher’s Association (FMTA) has endorsed candidates for the upcoming school board election. The rarity of the endorsement has been overshadowed, however, by questions over the propriety of the union’s endorsement process.
The FMTA announced late last week that it was endorsing Marissa Joy Mims, Lisa Izant and John Cucinotta for the three seats up for election. Mims, incumbent board president, Izant, incumbent board vice president, and Cucinotta, former board member and president, were endorsed, according to the union, based on their experience and commitment to students, facilities and teachers.
The other three candidates in the race, incumbent Rebecca Shiroff, Patty Paladino and Barbara Tresness, were not mentioned in the endorsement announcement.
Just days later, at the regular meeting of the F-M school board on Monday, May 11, current board member and candidate Shiroff publicly questioned the process for the union’s endorsement, specifically a meeting of Mims and Izant with the FMTA at Mott Road Elementary School on April 20.
Shiroff asked about the meeting because she wanted to know why the president and vice-president of the F-M Board of Education were meeting with the teacher’s union.
“It was not malicious in my intent … I just wanted to know what the purpose of this meeting was and was making sure there wasn’t any other pressing issues for the board,” said Shiroff. “The reason for this meeting is still unclear to me.”
Shiroff said she is not sure if this meeting between Mims, Izant and the FMTA broke any election rules put in place by the New York State Department of Education’s Office of Counsel, which states candidates cannot use any school district resources in their school board campaigns, but said the timing of the meeting and the endorsement announcement lead her to believe the two candidates were using this meeting as a means of campaigning.
Kelly Fletcher, president of FMTA, said there is no official process the organization has to go through in order to choose the candidates they have endorsements for in the school board election.
According to Fletcher, the executive council plus eighteen building representatives for the FMTA met and voted to endorse Mims, Izant and Cucinotta.
The FMTA directed teachers in the district who are members of the union to a letter explaining the reasons for these endorsements, and that letter was posted on the union’s password-protected site last week.
A copy of this letter was made available to the Eagle Bulletin.
“It is this experience and commitment to our students, facilities and teachers that make Marissa, Lisa and John the best candidates for a job as important as school board member at Fayetteville-Manlius Schools. We would like to encourage you to vote for them and spread the word among friends, family and acquaintances in the F-M district to vote for them, as well,” stated the letter posted on the FMTA website.
Fletcher said some people have accused the FMTA of using of district resources, such as using district emails or postcards, to distribute the endorsement information. Fletcher said these allegations are not true.
“I have done my research to make sure of that and I feel confident that there was nothing inappropriate with this endorsement or the process we used,” Fletcher said “There are not specific rules that unions are required to follow to determine who we endorse nor are we obligated to share or defend the process we used.”
Mims said on April 20, herself, Izant and Cucinotta were invited by the FMTA to their meeting at Mott Road Elementary. Cucinotta was not able to attend, but Mims and Izant did and that is where they learned of the endorsement.
The union typically meets in one of the F-M district school buildings; this was not a special venue.
“We are proud to receive the support of the Fayetteville-Manlius Teacher’s Association. Our teachers are on the front line of many attacks against public education,” Mims, Izant and Cucinotta said in a joint statement provided to the Eagle Bulletin. “To know that they value our leadership and respect our work on the board means a great deal. We did not request an endorsement. We were surprised and pleased to receive the first one given by the teachers in over 10 years.”
Shiroff said she thought the process the FMTA we through to make these endorsements was unclear and that all of the candidates should have been given the opportunity to meet with the FMTA before they reached an endorsement.
“I personally have no problem with the endorsement other than the fact not all of the candidates were given an opportunity to meet with the union,” said Shiroff. “All I know is that I will continue to show support to the teachers and children of the district regardless.”
The F-M school board election will occur from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Fayetteville Elementary School, 704 S. Manlius St, Fayetteville.
Hayleigh Gowans is a reporter for the Eagle Bulletin. She can be reached at [email protected].
