MONROE, CT — Marie Blake, president of the Monroe Education Association, the teachers union, questioned the Board of Education’s commitment to repaying teachers for three furlough days during the public comment portion of Monday’s board meeting. Then some board members questioned whether their meeting was the appropriate venue for Blake to speak on the topic. Teachers and members of the school district’s other bargaining units either gave up raises or three furlough days to help the town in a tough budget year. In the memorandum of understanding the school board agreed to reimburse the employees if state and federal funds leave the district with a surplus at the end of the year. But Blake called attention to instances where savings are already being used for other purposes.
