‘PSS leaders violated laws’

A former assistant attorney general argues that the CNMI Board of Education is violating federal and Commonwealth laws by forcing teachers to sign an addendum to their contracts that would reduce their salary or be let go.

In an open letter to public officials, Charles E. Brasington pointed out that the Public School System got an increased budget, but PSS leaders used that money to give themselves six-figure salaries.

“We all know why PSS is out of money: the leadership used the increased budget to give themselves six-figure salaries. They lied to the voters and spent public money to do so,” he said. “PSS leadership is now forcing teachers to sign a contract surrendering their pay or face termination. Furthermore, over the past few months, PSS leadership has threatened to fire any teacher who talks to anyone outside of PSS, including attorneys.”

A memorandum by acting PSS commissioner Jackie Quitugua, dated June 6 and with salary reductions and new contract addendum as subject, has stated that all PSS employees making $23,660 won’t experience any pay cut while those making over that amount “will not have their salary reduced below $23,660, regardless of what their reduction would have been.”

Brassington described PSS’ conduct as “massively illegal and unconstitutional,” as well as “a flagrant violation” of PSS leadership’s fiduciary duty to the students and the taxpayers.

“PSS leadership violated federal and Commonwealth law[s] by forcing employees to publicly support a political position and using public money to fund a political campaign to amend the Commonwealth Constitution. This is unacceptable; this needs to stop. Enough is enough,” he said.

He urged lawmakers of the CNMI Legislature to investigate the PSS leadership’s “illegal and morally reprehensible conduct.”

“PSS leadership cannot be allowed to continue using students and teachers as human shields. The Commonwealth needs to hold these individuals accountable,” he added.

He also urged lawmakers to introduce legislation that would allow public school teachers and frontline staff to unionize. “Teachers need to protect themselves from the abuses by unscrupulous individuals in the PSS leadership.”

“In doing so, above everything else, you must frame the discourse. Investigate PSS leaders, not PSS. Challenge PSS leadership’s decisions, not PSS itself.”

He said this development at PSS “breaks my heart; it causes me physical pain to watch PSS leadership throw students and teachers under the bus.”

“I am marshaling alternative resources to challenge PSS leadership, because this has to stop. I will bring all the forces I can bear to protect public education, the teachers, and the students of the Commonwealth.”