This weekend the Lusher Charter School board rejected a petition to recognize a teachers union and start a collective bargaining process.
The vote came after hours of public comment from over 50 people, mostly teachers but also parents and community members. Many spoke in support of the union.
"We love the school," said high school math teacher Jerome White. "We just want a stronger voice in guiding Lusher forward. We want a little greater transparency in the operations of Lusher. And we want the security of a contract that's more than just a pinky promise."
But other teachers said they felt rushed into a decision or hadn't been approached at all. They called for an open election with secret ballots.
"I have a voice," said kindergarten teacher Elizabeth Sepanik. "And please don't take away my voice. Allow me to vote. Allow me to say what I want to say."
Some board members pushed to recognize the union and spare the school a possibly contentious election. But others said 60% of teachers signing on isn't a large enough majority, especially given concerns that some signatures aren't valid.
The board voted 6-5 to reject the petition.
Lusher would have become the third New Orleans charter school faculty to unionize, joining Morris Jeff and Ben Franklin High School.
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