Tensions grow as Boston prepares for teacher contract talks

Weeks before the closed-door negotiations are scheduled to begin, the parties are circulating fliers urging the public to push for principals to have greater flexibility in hiring teachers, among other contract changes.

Some prominent civic groups have made headlines with reports advocating for contract changes, such as overhauling teacher evaluations, which is outlined in the contract.

Many of these issues will be discussed at a forum tonight that students, parents, and some civic groups have organized at the Twelfth Baptist Church in Roxbury.

For their part, the Boston Teachers Union, in an effort to build public support for its more than 5,000 members, has placed posters on subways and buses championing the hard work of the city’s teaching force.

Observers say the lobbying reflects a variety of factors. Both Governor Deval Patrick and President Obama have been pushing to overhaul persistently low-achieving schools, galvanizing parents, students, and civic groups to join their cause.

“This is not a teacher-bashing exercise,’’ said John Mudd, a senior project director for Massachusetts Advocates for Children, an agency working on behalf of disadvantaged students and one of the forum organizers. “It’s a what’s-in-it-for-the-kids exercise.’’

Richard Stutman, the teachers union president, said he welcomes the public scrutiny of the contract.

“We look forward to creating a contract that’s good for kids and fair to our members,’’ Stutman said.

At 255 pages in length, the teachers contract has long been derided by critics as “overly prescriptive,’’ potentially hindering school overhaul efforts.

It establishes such things as which veteran teachers a principal must hire, the process for evaluating teachers, and the number of hours required to work in a day.

The union, however, defends the contract as necessary to protect the workplace rights of its members.

Members also say it includes provisions that benefit students, such as placing limits on class sizes.

Both sides are expected to seek modifications to the contract when negotiations begin next month.

The goal is to have an agreement in place before the current contract expires Aug. 31, but that is unlikely. Previous negotiations went months past the expiration of the existing contract, often sparking union discussions about possible strikes.

While neither side has exchanged proposals yet, school Superintendent Carol R. Johnson said in an interview yesterday that she wants to talk about changes to teacher evaluations, staff assignments, training, and scheduling, among other issues.

She expects talks around compensation will be tough.

“Unfortunately, we do have significant financial limitations,’’ she said.

Stutman said the union is interested in securing a social worker, attendance officer, a behavioral specialist, and an academic coach for each underperforming school, among other changes.

Tension between the union and school administrators has been growing. Many teachers and union leadership were incensed when Johnson asked the staffs of seven underperforming schools to reapply for their jobs, leading principals to reject 125 applicants last month.

Union leadership and members were also alarmed that Johnson wants to lengthen the school day at underperforming schools and make teachers put in other extra time without additional pay.

That issue is now headed to a process similar to arbitration for resolution.

Adding another possible wrinkle to this year’s negotiations is an arbitrator’s decision on the Boston firefighters contract, which calls for a 2.5 percent pay increase on the last day of the contract, which expires next month.

Because of that, some education observers believe the teachers union will seek at least that amount for a pay increase for this coming school year.

The panel for tonight’s forum will include Johnson, Stutman, a student, and a parent.

“The Boston Teachers Union Contract: What’s in it for our kids?’’ is being organized by the Boston Parent Organizing Network, the Citywide Parent Council, Boston Parent Advisory Council, Boston Student Advisory Council, Sociedad Latina, and Massachusetts Advocates for Children.

Among some of the changes they are pushing is a proposal that would allow a parent and a student to join negotions with union and school district leaders.

Adam Fischer, a Boston Latin Academy senior who is president of the student advisory council, said it is frustrating that students and parents cannot join the negotiations.

“Everything in the teacher contract affects students directly,’’ Fischer said.

Other proposals seek to revamp the evaluation system for teachers and to give school administrators greater flexibility in hiring and dismissing staff.

“Ultimately what we are trying to promote is that any teacher contract should be student centered,’’ said Myriam Ortiz, executive director of the Boston Parent Organizing Network.

“We feel [union] leadership goes a long way to protect the rights of teachers as workers,’’ she said, “but many times there are occasions where the best interest of students is not put first.’’

James Vaznis can be reached at jvaznis@globe.com.