The Milton School Committee, facing an historic budget challenge, recently requested the teacher’s union to consider renegotiating portions of their contract. Mayor Menino has requested the same of Boston’s unions and three have agreed to wage freezes.

The MEA’s Executive Board here in Milton voted unanimously to decline the School Commitee’s request to “reopen Unit A and Unit B contracts.”

In the letter, made available on the School Committee web page, Margaret Gibbons, President of the MEA here in Milton, voices support for the override and concern that teachers not be asked to subsidize shortfalls in state and federal revenues.  She states:

“Teacher salaries are not what is causing the revenue shortfall nor will they be the solution. This would be a temporary band aid. We would only be postponing the pain. The answer is to work together at the local state and federal level to fight for a predictable and adequate funding for public education.”

You can read the full text of the letter here.

Beirne Lovely, Chairman of the School Committee, voiced his disappointment at the vote.

Meanwhile in Lynn, teachers agreed to work a day without pay, thus preserving jobs and preventing layoffs for this fiscal year. The superintendent of Lynn is rescinding 120 pink slips today. You can hear WBZ coverage of the Lynn situation here.