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CBS News
6 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Baltimore County teachers' union reaches tentative agreement amid fight for pay raises
The Baltimore County teachers' union said they reached a tentative agreement Wednesday amid a push for a three-year pay raise. The Teachers Association of Baltimore County (TABCO) indicated that they are not able to share details about the agreement until July 23. For several months, Baltimore County teachers and union leaders have been pushing the school district to enact a pay raise that had already been approved. Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) initially committed to the 5% raise as part of a three-year agreement, but the offer was changed to 1.5% after the county budget was approved. Under the budget, the school district got less funding than leaders expected. A revised agreement moved the timing of the 5% raise from July 2025 to January 2026. However, Tabco did not accept the deal, saying it fell short of the previously agreed-upon compensation. "So it's essentially people working with no additional compensation or raise from July 1 to January," TABCO President Cindy Sexton said. "It goes back to the thousands of dollars that some members will lose while they figure out those months and months without any additional money." The teachers' union filed for an impasse, and a mediator was provided to help the two parties reach an agreement. Since negotiations began, Baltimore County teachers have held several protests and rallies, voicing frustrations about what they referred to as broken promises. "Everybody's frustrated, teachers are angry," Sexton said after one of the protests in May. "I go through the county, and you can see some schools are holding up signs outside. You know they want the agreed-upon money that we were guaranteed. Other counties around us are doing a better job and making better offers." Teachers have also raised concerns about cuts after BCPS Superintendent Dr. Myriam Rogers announced budget reductions, including a $14 million cut from supplies and materials.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Censured Baltimore County school board member announced reelection bid
A Baltimore County School Board member who was censured last year after a heated exchange with Superintendent Myriam Rogers announced her bid for reelection Wednesday night. Maggie Litz Domanowski, who represents District 3, announced Wednesday night on Facebook that she will run for reelection. 'I've been telling myself I will make a decision when I have to but it's a lie. I still have three children in the Baltimore county public school system and I have no plans to abandon them nor any other of our BCPS students, educators, or community members,' Domanowski, mother to a rising seventh grader and two rising fourth graders, wrote online. 'I haven't always loved my position nor campaigning … but I have always been grateful and glad to be here, serving my community and students to the best of my ability.' The school board censured Domanowski in March for 'a lack of courtesy and decorum' toward Rogers during a January school board meeting's discussion of the budget proposal. Domanowski said she's since appealed the censure, which is now in the hands of the State Board of Education. Domanowski said her reason for running in 2026 is the same as why she ran in 2022 — her children are in public school. 'I like feeling like I have something to say for all of our students and our educators from a different point of view,' she said in an interview with The Baltimore Sun on Thursday. 'I don't have a ulterior motive other than I hear what they say, and I do what … I feel is best and what the majority wants in their … schools.' Domanowski listed priorities such as higher standards for graduating high schoolers and improving third-graders' literacy. She also told The Sun she is in favor of stronger cell phone restrictions. 'I don't care about being right. I just want to do what's right,' she said. Though she said national politics are divisive right now, Domanowski advised voters to pay attention to their local politics and look beyond political affiliations. School board elections in Baltimore County are nonpartisan. 'Pay attention to what people are saying and don't worry about what their actual … politics are. Just worry about who they care about and what they say and what they're going to do,' she said. 'Yes, I am conservative. I've always been conservative, but … when I go to the school board meeting, when I vote, I'm always voting for what's best for … the school system.' Domanowski has not yet officially filed to run as of Thursday morning, according to the state Board of Elections website. No school board members or outside challengers have filed for the 2026 Baltimore County school board race yet. Currently, the 12-member board is comprised of one elected student representative with slightly limited voting power, four members appointed by the governor, and the rest are elected in each Councilmanic district every four years. Domanowski was elected in 2022, along with Brenda Savoy, Christina Pumphrey, Rod McMillion, Julie Henn, the current vice chair and chair Robin Harvey and Jane Lichter. Board members are limited to serving no more than three consecutive terms. Baltimore County's election map is changing as the county looks to add two more districts. Although the final map has not yet been approved, Ruie Lavoie, Director of the Baltimore County Board of Elections, said candidates can still file. Any change in district borders will automatically place them as a candidate for that new district, she said, and candidates will be notified of those changes. Have a news tip? Contact Racquel Bazos at rbazos@ 443-813-0770 or on X as @rzbworks.
Global News
01-07-2025
- Global News
‘Put me away for life': Man convicted of violent sex assault on senior tells B.C. court
Crown counsel may apply to have a 74-year-old man who was convicted in a violent sexual attack on a vulnerable Vancouver senior declared a dangerous offender, a designation that could see him incarcerated indefinitely. 'Put me away for life, I don't care,' Gordon James Joseph Leclerc told B.C. Provincial Court Judge Kathryn Denhoff, Monday, noting he has severe medical problems. 'You're only going to get two years out of me.' Leclerc, who was holding a cane as he appeared via video from North Fraser Pretrial Centre, was found guilty of aggravated sexual assault on March 18, after a trial. The senior was originally charged with aggravated sexual assault and sexual assault with a weapon – a cane – between Sept. 7 and Sept. 9, 2021. 2:10 Vancouver police say senior seriously injured in 'shocking' sex assault Court heard Leclerc and the then 76-year-old victim met across from Waterfront Station in Vancouver on Sept. 7 and took a cab together over the Burrard Bridge. Story continues below advertisement The woman, who uses a motorized wheelchair, was missing from her downtown care home for almost two days. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy When she returned with significant bruising and discolouration on her face on the morning of Sept. 9, Vancouver police said staff at the facility called them. 'This is a shocking case, and the victim's injuries are some of the worst we've seen,' said Const. Tania Visintin on Sept. 11, 2021. The victim survived after initially being hospitalized with what police described as life-threatening injuries. Prosecutor Brendan McCabe, K.C., has told the court he will be seeking an assessment order for Leclerc ahead of a potential dangerous offender hearing. When an offender is convicted of a serious personal injury or sexual offence and poses a continuing danger to the public, Crown counsel may be able to apply to the sentencing court to have the person designated a Dangerous Offender (DO) or a Long-Term Offender (LTO), according to the BC Prosecution Service (BCPS). 2:03 What does it take to keep repeat sex offender behind bars? While the Crown has not formally applied for an assessment order or to have Leclerc declared a long-term or dangerous offender, the BCPS told Global News that once an application is made, the court may order the assessment 'by experts for use as evidence on the long-term offender or dangerous offender application.' Story continues below advertisement Following several adjournments related to Leclerc not having a lawyer present, the offender told the court Monday he intends to represent himself after his previous counsel withdrew from the case. If designated a Dangerous Offender, Leclerc, who has been in custody since he was charged in June 2022, could face 'an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment.' Leclerc, who has a lengthy criminal record, told the court being in jail is like home to him. 'I've spent so many years on the inside, even my friends say, 'Gord, you're back home again,'' he said. Leclerc is scheduled to appear in court again via video on July 7, when a hearing date is expected to be set for the Crown's application for a psychiatric assessment ahead of a Dangerous Offender application.
CBS News
10-06-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Baltimore County teachers to rally again Tuesday over promised pay raises
The Teachers Association of Baltimore County (TABCO) is set to rally again Tuesday evening, continuing to push Baltimore County Public Schools to adhere to the terms of a previously approved three-year pay raise agreement. TABCO calls for promised pay raises In April, Baltimore County Public Schools teachers began re-negotiating a three-year pay raise that had been previously approved. Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) had initially committed to a 5% raise for educators as part of a three-year compensation package. However, after the district received less funding than requested from County Executive Kathy Klausmeier's budget, the offer was reduced to 1.5%. On May 28, TABCO protested at three major intersections, including Liberty and Milford Mill roads. There, educators voiced their frustrations over what they are calling a broken promise. "Everybody's frustrated, teachers are angry," Cindy Sexton, president of TABCO, said. "I go through the county, and you can see some schools are holding up signs outside. You know they want the agreed-upon money that we were guaranteed. Other counties around us are doing a better job and making better offers." After further negotiations, BCPS announced a revised compensation timeline. Under a revised agreement with four of the five unions representing district employees, teachers would still receive the full 5% raise, but not until Jan. 1, 2026. The original raise was set to take effect July 1, 2025. While closer to the initial agreement, the teachers' union says the existing proposal falls short of the compensation that was previously agreed on. TABCO has not accepted the new deal. The union is expected to vote on whether to declare an impasse — a formal process that could lead to third-party arbitration to resolve the issue. But as of last week, Sexton said TABCO members were still too angry to take that step forward. "Our members are definitely not in the position to do that," Sexton said. "They are still very angry. They still want to keep showing up every day in these walk-ins, walk-outs, and work-to-rule actions." Tuesday's rally is set to take place at 5:30 p.m.
CBS News
03-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Baltimore County teachers are closer to raises, but the union holds out for original agreement
A promised pay raise for Baltimore County teachers is inching closer to reality, but the teachers' union says the current proposal still falls short of what was originally agreed on. Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) had initially committed to a 5% raise for educators as part of a three-year compensation package. However, after the district received less funding than requested from County Executive Kathy Klausmeier's budget, the offer was reduced to 1.5%. Following pushback from the Teachers Association of Baltimore County (TABCO), including rallies and a shift to "work to rule" — where educators limit their work strictly to contracted hours — the district returned from negotiations with a revised offer of 2.5%. But it was still below the union's expectations. After further negotiations, BCPS announced an agreement with four of the five unions representing district employees. Under the new proposal, teachers would still receive the full 5% raise, but not until Jan. 1, 2026, rather than the originally planned July 1, 2025. The entire compensation timeline has now been shifted six months later than originally scheduled. "It's definitely been a tough budget season, but we have thankfully made some progress," said BCPS Superintendent Dr. Myriam Rogers. Revised Compensation Schedule: Original Year 2: July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026 New Year 2: January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026 Original Year 3: July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027 New Year 3: January 1, 2027 – December 31, 2027 "We are able to provide the full year-two compensation package to all Team BCPS employees," Dr. Rogers said. "The only difference is the timing." TABCO fights for an initial pay raise agreement TABCO has not accepted the new deal and is weighing its next steps. The union is expected to vote on whether to declare an impasse — a formal process that could lead to third-party arbitration to resolve the issue. "Our members are definitely not in the position to do that," TABCO President Cindy Sexton said. "They are still very angry. They still want to keep showing up every day in these walk-ins, walk-outs, and work-to-rule actions." Sexton also plans to attend and speak at the upcoming school board meeting on Tuesday, June 3, continuing to press the district to honor the original compensation timeline. School district has financial limitations Dr. Rogers said she empathizes with the teachers' frustration but emphasized the district's financial limitations. "If we could, I would have been the first one saying, 'Here it is,' and celebrating with everyone," Dr. Rogers said. "But that's just not the fiscal climate we find ourselves in." Negotiations remain ongoing as educators, administrators, and union leaders work toward a final agreement ahead of the upcoming school year. Possible Baltimore County school cuts Dr. Rogers recently stated that the school district encountered an unexpected level of financial stability due to its limited resources. In an email, Rogers outlined plans for cost-saving measures, which included eliminating some supervisory positions in the central office, extending a hiring freeze for non-school building roles, cutting $14 million from supplies and materials, and reducing division and department budgets.
