Teachers at Regional School Unit 21 are beginning the school year without a contract, with arguments that came to a head this spring still lingering into the fall.

School Board Chairperson Lesley Stoeffler said Aug. 19 that the dispute between the district and the Kennebunk Arundel and Kennebunkport Educators Association is going to mediation.  

“The board looks forward to this process and is open to hearing the mediator’s fresh perspective and any creative solutions he may have to offer to the parties,” Stoeffler said.

The current contract expired on Aug. 31.

Stoeffler also said both the board and the union had agreed not to discuss the finer details of the negotiations in public. Since the Aug. 19 meeting, neither Stoeffler, Superintendent Terri Cooper nor union representatives have been available for comment. 

District Spokesperson Matthew Shinberg said Wednesday that the situation has not yet been resolved, and the next mediation meeting is scheduled for Sept. 16.  

“The school board had hoped for it to be sooner, but that was the date that worked for all parties involved,” he said.

Teachers and the administration have been clashing over the contract and other issues including the district’s budget for nearly a year. The tension notably led to a shakeup in the board’s leadership in May. Then-Chairperson Erin Nadeau abruptly resigned, according to statements from Cooper on May 9, and by the board on May 10 following an executive session.

Cooper’s statement at the time indicated Nadeau resigned over comments the former board chair made on Facebook.

“Mrs. Nadeau made some unfortunate remarks on Facebook in response to another post following Monday night's District School Budget Meeting,” Cooper wrote. “Consequently, she has decided to step down from her position on the board.” 

Cooper did not indicate the substance of Nadeau’s remarks. The comments have since been taken down, but numerous published reports at the time indicated Nadeau had compared the teachers to a racist hate group. 

Now, months later, the board is still taking criticism for being unable to resolve the conflict. At the Aug. 19 meeting, teacher Greg Cavanaugh told the board, “You’ve stolen our joy with the culture you’ve made.”

Kennebunk resident Jill Schulte also spoke to the teachers’ frustration.

“We’re starting our year without a contract for teachers,” she said.