New HSE administration focuses on ‘hostile work environment’ complaint

Four months into the new administration at southeast Hamilton schools, district teachers have filed an unfair labor lawsuit, alleging that district leaders “dominate and interfere” in union practices and threaten to demand state lawmakers to end collective bargaining rights.

The Hamilton Southeastern Education Association’s unfair labor claim, filed June 12 with the Indiana Education Employment Relations Board, centers on conversations and interactions between teachers union president Abby Taylor and assistant superintendent Brian Murphy district human resources.

Taylor alleges that Murphy created a hostile work environment through “aggressive” messages and a warning that he might claim ghost employment against Taylor, among other allegations. Taylor said she “felt unsafe and intimidated” by Murphy during a May meeting with other staff members, according to the complaint.

These issues are also documented in a formal workplace environment complaint lodged by Taylor against Murphy with HSE administrators. The district did not respond to that complaint, according to the ULP complaint.

According to information included in the state’s complaint, Murphy took issue with Taylor’s response and tone toward him, following a discussion about staffing at HSE elementary schools. Phone calls, text messages and emails between the two sides quickly became a persistent point of contention this spring.

Murphy raised concerns about Taylor with the Indiana State Teachers Association. Murphy also demanded that she be fired from her position or he would implicate House Speaker Todd Huston, according to the complaint. Huston lives in Fishers.

The state’s largest teachers union had no further comment on the ULP complaint. The unfair labor practice complaint will now go to a hearing examiner from the Indiana Education Employment Relations Board for review.

Union leader denounces “hostile work environment”

Murphy was previously chief of staff for the state Department of Education and recruited by Superintendent Pat Mapes, who was hired by the HSE school board in February. Mapes has gone through several administrative changes and hires since taking office, including becoming the district’s chief financial officer.

Mapes serves on the State Board of Education. Murphy also served as executive director of the board until the end of 2023, according to his LinkedIn profile.

The complaint comes just months after Mapes took the helm following more than a year of controversy within the Hamilton Southeastern school board’s new conservative majority, including the sudden resignation of former Superintendent Yvonne Stokes in 2023.

Emily Pace Abbotts, a district spokeswoman, said in a statement that district leaders were aware of the recent complaint but declined to comment further on the details of the case.

“Hamilton Southeastern Schools deeply appreciates the important role our educators and staff play in shaping the futures of our more than 21,000 students,” Pace Abbotts said. “We are committed to maintaining our high standards of educational excellence in our classrooms. »

The HSE school board is named in the complaint, although Dr. Juanita Albright, chair of the board, directed questions related to the claims to Mapes. Mapes is also served with the complaint, but there are no allegations against him.

Taylor said the HSE school board was not the focus of the complaint, but she wanted it to respond and do what’s right for teachers. Taylor spoke before the June 12 HSE school board meeting, which more than 50 teachers attended hours after the ULP complaint was filed.

“The working conditions of teachers are the working conditions of students and if we don’t have good conditions for teachers, we don’t have good conditions for students,” Taylor said in front of the administration building.

Mapes takes the lead after the controversies

Following Stokes’ abrupt departure at the start of the school year, the HSE school board conducted a search for a new leader and appointed Mapes in February.

Mapes then began to make changes within the central office. Matt Kegley, who served as interim superintendent after Stokes, was named assistant superintendent. Murphy was brought in and several other management positions moved with the change of hands.

Mapes told WFYI in March that he would run a transparent school district as he has in the past.

“We will listen to the concerns and we will investigate whether they are true or not,” Mapes said. “If something happens that may not be favorable to us. We will answer it and say it out loud. We’re not going to try to tweak something that isn’t true to make it look good.

Rachel Fradette is the WFYI Statehouse education reporter. Contact Rachel at [email protected].