Days of free grieving are over for teachers

The Terrebonne Parish School Board voted 5-4 to subtract the two-day bereavement leave of absence from the days allotted school employees for emergency leave.

The contentious struggle was not over the measure’s content, but whether the board should get input from the Employee Representative Committee (ERC) first.

“I think it would be a big mistake by bypassing the ERC,” said board member L. P. Bordelon, referring to the union that represents school system employees.

“Let’s not forget we have 2,800 employees with a contract. That contract is binding.”

But Clark Bonvillain, who introduced the motion at last Tuesday’s meeting, was resolute that it was necessary and did not need to consult with the union.

“In the past, people could take leave for a funeral up to four days, receive full pay and not be charged against their emergency leave,” he said. “What we’re saying is you can still go to that funeral, but it’s going to be charged to your leave time.”

Bonvillain, Roosevelt Thomas, Greg Harding, Rickie Pitre, and Hayes Badeaux voted for the measure.

Bordelon, Richard Jackson, Roger DeHart and Don Duplantis voted against it.

The motion was a partial report from the Education and Policy Committee, which met the night before.

The committee found that the old policy allowed employees to accumulate emergency leave days even when they used their bereavement leave.

“We had a particular incident where one person retired with 180-something days of annual leave,” said Bonvillian. “I don’t know how many funerals he might have gone to, but he still got paid.”

Although all board members agreed the policy needed tightening, some said there was no need to rush the change.

“I don’t see the urgency to vote on this tonight,” Duplantis asked. “The policy was last revised in July 1996. That’s 12 years and, all of a sudden in a space of two days, you’re jamming and ramming. Why?”

Pitre assured his colleague the board has been more than deferent to the ERC, and they should reciprocate by coming to board meetings to give their input.

“There is no other business or industry that would allow you two days off and, if you have accumulated emergencies, you can take five days off,” he said.

“Every ERC member receives an agenda for every committee meeting. They need to be here,” Pitre said. “Don’t be Johnny-come-lately and try to derail or sabotage the efforts that the board is working on.”