Petaluma school district at impasse with teachers as contract talks stall

A simmering feud between an unhappy teachers union and first-year Old Adobe Union School District Superintendent Sonjhia Lowery has erupted, with the two sides declaring impasse in contract negotiations and educators issuing a vote of no confidence in their new boss.

The standoff comes in the wake of unprecedented challenges for school districts and educators working to navigate the remote learning world amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and nearly a year after Lowery was brought in from Stockton to guide that work.

The Old Adobe Teachers Association, which represents educators in the five-campus, 1,900-student eastside elementary school district, say Lowery, an outsider with no previous experience as a superintendent, has fallen short.

“During this pandemic, her skills should have been amplified, and she should have been able to really display stellar leadership…but we actually experienced the opposite – a lack of leadership, a lack of understanding of our district,” said Diane Wolmuth, the teachers association president.

But Lowery, who has earned statewide recognition throughout her 25 years in education, said the ongoing conflict centers on contract negotiations, where the two sides have been unable to resolve vast differences related to compensation.

While the district has offered up to 3% increases in each of the next two years, along with one-time bonuses, the teachers union has sought greater parity with teachers statewide, a goal that would require raises totaling more than 17% over the next two years. The impasse will lead to mediation starting June 23, which Lowery sees as a positive step.

“I know this is a pivotal process that will guide us toward an agreement,” Lowery said. “The board is looking forward to mediation with hopes that this neutral party will help us reach consensus.”

Old Adobe Union School District Board of Trustees President Michael Fung did not return an email seeking comment about the ongoing battle.

Wolmuth, a sixth grade teacher who has worked at Old Adobe since 1994, said this year’s impasse declaration and vote of no confidence are unprecedented in her career. The city’s second-largest district has traditionally enjoyed a stronger relationship with its union than Petaluma City Schools, where teachers called a strike in 2017.

If mediation is unsuccessful for Old Adobe, Wolmuth said other steps, up to and including a strike vote, may be undertaken. And for Wolmuth, the issue boils down to proper pay for teachers, who have weathered immense pressure in the past 16 months.

“We already know we’re going to have a teacher shortage this year, so we need to do something,” Wolmuth said. “And the No. 1 thing you can do is pay people accordingly.”

In California, which ranks second among states in teacher compensation, teachers earn an average annual salary of $83,059, according to the California Department of Education. That’s nearly $30,000 more than a starting teacher at Old Adobe Union School District, but less than what teachers with a decade of experience earn in the district.

And when compared to similar organizations – elementary districts with fewer than 5,000 students – Old Adobe teachers fare better than their peers statewide.

But Wolmuth said there’s a reason nearly 10 Sonoma County school districts, including Old Adobe, have declared impasse this year – pay isn’t keeping up with the cost of living.

Wolmuth said the union’s decision to take a vote of no confidence, which passed 83-2 in early April, is separate from the ongoing contract negotiations. Instead, she said Lowery, who commutes, has not been present at schools, and has not gotten to know all staff members, among other complaints.

Lowery’s predecessor, Craig Conte, also commuted to the district during his three years as superintendent, but those three years followed 18 years as a teacher in the district, where he built a strong rapport with his fellow educators.

“I think we all went in with open arms, open eyes,” Wolmuth said, when asked whether teachers gave Lowery a fair shot. “I just think it’s a big job, and by not hiring local, it’s just difficult.”

Lowery said she and district trustees want to compensate teachers appropriately, even providing a 5% boost last year despite receiving no cost of living revenue bump from the state.

At the five-school district, which includes four specialized charter schools, Lowery said her focus remains on students and staff.

“How do we as a district continue to unite and come together to keep the main thing the main thing?” she said.

“Does this feel a little yucky? Yes. But I’m still optimistic that we can go into this mediation, that we can turn this situation around, that we can continue to move forward. We’re just looking forward to a better and brighter day.”

Tyler Silvy is editor of the Petaluma Argus-Courier. Reach him at tyler.silvy@arguscourier.com, 707-776-8458, or @tylersilvy on Twitter.