Providence Teachers' Union slams state education commissioner over recent comments

PROVIDENCE — Providence Teachers Union President Maribeth Calabro said Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green bullies and attacks teachers.

In a statement Friday, Calabro said, “Teachers remain frustrated, angry and disheartened by the behavior and actions taken by Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green. She attacks and bullies teachers and refuses to acknowledge the problems that are in plain sight.

“The bargaining table should be a place to respectfully solve problems collaboratively, yet she and her team consistently show outrageous disrespect for the PTU’s student-centered proposals and are dismissive of other issues that are clearly disrupting education and hampering the effort to move our district forward.

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"If her approach is to remain divisive, threatening and antagonistic, we suggest she get out of the way and leave bargaining to others who are truly committed to sincerely addressing the many problems in our schools, including vaccinating educators and other vital ways to make in-school learning safe." 

The union's statement is in response to comments made by Infante-Green in an interview with The Journal this week. In that interview, the commissioner said the union was using social media to air their disagreements with the district, now under state oversight.

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The commissioner also said that she has a deadline for wrapping up contract negotiations, although she didn't say when.     

Linda Borg covers education for The Journal.