Members of the Glendale Teachers Association have issued a “no-confidence” vote on Glendale Unified School District superintendent Dr. Vivian Ekchian.

Results of the vote were shared with GTA members on Monday, Feb. 6, and with the Glendale Unified School District Board of Education on Tuesday, Feb. 7.

Ekchian was hired to serve as superintendent of GUSD in May 2019, after serving as deputy superintendent of LAUSD during the UTLA strike in January 2019. She led the school district in its efforts to return teachers to the classroom prior to having the full efficacy of vaccines take effect and she has led the district during the more than one-year of unresolved 2020-21 and 2021-22 contract negotiations.

GTA and GUSD bargaining teams began meeting in January 2022 in order to settle wage agreements that date back to the 2020-21 school year. Both sides were close to a wage settlement for 2020-23 until Ekchian attached non-wage related concessions to the wage settlement.

GTA members have expressed frustration with the protracted contract talks and have called on the superintendent to withdraw proposals that would place limitations on how educators can vote waive contractual provisions, create unnecessary obstacles (red tape) for some teachers who arrive on campus earlier than their contracts require and limit the ability for childcare teachers to adjust their schedules throughout the year. Ekchian is also proposing to end guaranteed daily preparation time for middle and high school teachers.

Submitted by the GTA

Next week the GUSD will offer its response.