DISTRICT PAYS UP DELINQUENT TEACHERS UNION DUES

We reported on Saturday that the school district owed more than $266,000 in dues to the New Jersey Education Association, the parent organization for the local teacher's union.

NJEA officials offered an update today, stating that the back payments had been brought up to date, but offered few details.

The issue arose a week ago when Paula Bethea, president of the South Orange Maplewood Education Association (SOMEA) -- the union for district teachers -- brought up the late dues at last week's school board meeting, advising the board that $266,604 was owed to the union from dues collected by the district. 

"This is not to embarrass but to publicly say I have been advised by NJEA to present this to the board," Bethea said at the meeting. "Our payment is due on a monthly basis."

Dues run $866 annually for full-time members, according to the NJEA website. They are collected on a monthly basis by the district as part of paycheck deductions and are then sent to NJEA, which forwards a portion to SOMEA. 

But an NJEA statement, dated March 1, indicated no dues were sent to NJEA during September, October, and December 2016 and January and February 2017. It revealed they add up to $266,604.

NJEA spokesman Steve Baker told Maplewoodian.com today that the balance had been brought up to date. The district did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.