The teachers’ union that represents educators and specialists employed by Kennebunk-based RSU 21 filed a complaint against the district, accusing it of engaging in a prohibited labor practice and violating the rights of its employees under state labor laws. Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer

The teachers’ union that represents educators and specialists employed by Kennebunk-based Regional School Unit 21 filed a complaint against the district, accusing it of engaging in a prohibited labor practice and violating the rights of its employees under state labor laws.

The Kennebunk Arundel Kennebunkport Educators Association and the school board have been in negotiations for a new teacher contract since December, and teachers began the school year without a contract.

The complaint filed Tuesday with the Maine Labor Relations Board alleges that the district’s bargaining team has interfered with ongoing negotiations.

Union negotiating team member Sheila Wells said the team has been placed at the center of scrutiny for not “tango-ing” fast enough, referring to a statement school board Chair Lesley Stoeffler made last week.

“The school board team members have shown poor judgment and symptoms of emotional distress in the extreme,” Wells said. “The KAKEA team is here to work and has been standing in the ballroom waiting, while our dance partners occupy themselves by insulting our membership and defaming our character.”

The union complaint stems from a public outburst by Kirstin Shapiro, the board’s chief negotiator, during an emergency meeting on Sept. 19.

During the public comment period designed to give community members a chance to speak, Shapiro alleged that teachers were “terrorizing” her family through her 4-year-old daughter and threatened legal action.

“On multiple occasions, educators in this district have used my 4-year-old daughter to retaliate against my family,” Shapiro shouted with tears in her eyes.

Shapiro offered no evidence to support the allegations, and no complaints have been made against teachers or employees who work in the schools.

According to a statement of facts the union submitted to the Maine Labor Relations Board, “on information and belief the association believes these allegations are untrue and as such represent an attempt by the school committee through its negotiations chair to interfere with ongoing negotiations and coerce the association to capitulate to the board’s last proposal made June 6, 2024.”

Parents in the district were stunned and outraged by Shapiro’s comments last week.

“I can only imagine the pit in their stomachs and the anxious sleepless nights my neighbors and friends are experiencing, all while putting on a brave face for our kids,” parent Melissa McCue-McGrath said.

McCue-McGrath also said that while teachers still do not have a contract, the district rushed to hire a new HR director after former director Scott Harrison left the district, sending a fiery email.

“There is no urgency when it comes to our teachers, and yet, our HR director can be rushed in at the 11th hour, despite immediate and justifiable pushback from the community,” McCue-McGrath said.

Other parents in the community reacted to the complaint on Facebook, with many parents and residents calling for a complete overhaul of the school board.

“I’m hoping actions are swift and this goes all the way to the top,” parent Dorothy Gregoire wrote.

In a statement responding to the teachers’ union’s claims against the district, Stoeffler, the board chair, wrote “These allegations are false. We are currently engaged in a formal mediation process with KAKEA, which we entered in good faith. Our focus remains on fair negotiations and reaching a mutually beneficial agreement through this structured, impartial process.”

But union negotiators do not agree.

Ellen Jardine, an RSU 21 teacher currently serving as a union negotiator, said the school board chose representatives who are “unsuited” to the job.

“Positive negotiations must start with good negotiators,” Jardine said.

Contract negotiations will continue despite the complaint, union President Jen Swan said, but teachers and specialists must be treated with respect.

“We will not allow the district to trample on the rights of educators who work tirelessly for the students and families of this community,” Swan said. “Our focus remains on achieving a fair contract and creating a safe, supportive environment for all.”

Kennebunk Post reached out to Stoeffler for comment, but she had not responded as of Thursday.

Shapiro, the board’s negotiator, also did not respond to a request for comment.