(April 21, 2020) “This is by far the most egregious attack on a teacher and union leader I’ve seen in my 28 years at NEA Rhode Island, said NEARI Executive Director Robert A. Walsh, Jr. “Amy Mullen is a 25-year educator in Tiverton and has served as NEA Tiverton president for 20. She advocates for her special education students, their families and NEA Tiverton members every day. That is why when she learned Superintendent Sanchioni was moving forward with a distance-learning plan without input from teachers, she asked if they could discuss the plan.

“Amy offered no hardline union negotiations. No hold up of distance learning. She asked a question. And she was terminated for it.
“Instead of working collaboratively within the framework of the collective bargaining agreement – which the Superintendent has failed to do on multiple occasions – Sanchioni and the Tiverton School Committee chose to silence Amy and prohibit her from speaking to her members, parents and students. In so doing, they violated her First Amendment rights and opened themselves up to personal liability in addition to their official capacity.

“Peter Sanchioni, aided and abetted by the Tiverton School Committee, is a bully and long ago proved himself a union obstructionist in his negotiation tactics and refusal to bargain or allow Amy to attend to her duties. They have demonstrated a clear disdain for the union and union activities and have set out repeatedly and with animus to diminish a local union president – just dig through the grievances and unfair labor practices that have piled up since Sanchioni has been in town.

“In fact, First Amendment violations are nothing new for Peter Sanchioni – they cost the Town of Natick, MA $70,000.

“Amy was not fired for any reason having to do with her job performance as a teacher. I have no doubt Amy will prevail in her suit and she has the full support of the entire labor movement across the State of Rhode Island.”

More

An Open Letter to the Tiverton School Community