Washington Teachers’ Union President George Parker lost his bid for re-election in a run-off vote to his vice president, Nathan Saunders.
In his campaign, Saunders depicted Parker as too meek at the bargaining table, conceding too much to then-Chancellor Michelle Rhee during contract negotiations that resulted in a reformist document last June. Saunders criticized the increased power the new contract gave to principals, and has blasted the evaluation system Rhee used to fire 165 teachers rated highly ineffective.
Saunders held a slim lead over Parker in the original election, but did not receive the necessary 51 percent majority in the first round of balloting.
Interim D.C. schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson, who was the chief negotiator for the new teachers’ contract, said Wednesday, “I congratulate Nathan Saunders for his victory and plan to reach out for an early conversation to talk about working together as DCPS continues to move forward.”
Henderson called Parker “a leader who negotiated a historic contract that received nearly 80 percent of the vote.”
Also taking office Wednesday: Candi Peterson as general vice president, Mignon Uzzel as recording secretary, and Sallie Littlejohn as treasurer.
