Bennett’s term ended in January, but the position remains vacant.
According to Press Secretary Charles P. Reyes Jr. yesterday, Gov. Benigno R. Fitial will not grant Bennett’s request.
“I do not expect the governor to appoint Mr. Bennett to the teacher rep position,” Reyes said.
In his letter to the governor yesterday, Bennett lauded Fitial’s decision not to appoint a new teacher representative because the Constitution requires that a collective bargaining agent of teachers need to certify their chosen candidate.
Fitial said the Public School System has not met this requirement.
“I am asking for your reconsideration to appoint me as the acting and temporary teacher rep to BOE…because [the Association of Commonwealth Teachers] has not responded to the need of teachers to satisfy the constitutional requirement for an exclusive bargaining representative of teachers within PSS,” Bennett told the governor.
He said teachers have the constitutional right to organize and select their representative and bargain with PSS.
“Your desire to see this 23-year-old constitutional requirement properly fulfilled is to be commended,” Bennett said in his letter.
“Everything I have said and done regarding the Constitution, the board, teachers and their rights is now proving to be true,” the Kagman High School teacher added.
ACT thrice attempted to hold an election for teacher representative but no one wanted to run for the position.
ACT members instead recommend the appointment of their president, Betty Miller, as teacher representative.
Bennett said the issue is a “simple problem” that could have been fixed years ago but was made complex by the “politics” of governors, board members and teachers.
If he is reappointed, Bennett said, “I will only need to sign up 50 percent plus 1 teacher with a school rep at each school. The collective of school reps representing the majority of teachers will constitute a body sufficient to meet the criteria for the constitutional requirement.”
