Mehlville Board of Education members made it clear board member Rich Franz’s recent comments about expense reimbursement for teachers do not represent the entire board’s opinion.

Vice President Elaine Powers said she has received “a handful of questions and comments and emails” about expense reimbursement for teachers since the board’s June 21 meeting.

“I think there may have been some confusion, perhaps, after comments made (June 21) that the board was somehow changing a policy or procedure that already exists,” Powers told the board at its June 25 meeting. “So I just think we need to clarify that’s not the case. That’s not something we, as a board, have discussed. It’s not something we are talking about changing.”

At the June 21 meeting, Franz responded to comments from the public about “the alleged fact that our teachers are spending money out of their own pockets” for necessary classroom supplies.

“I challenge any teacher in this school district to show me where they have not been provided with the supplies they need to teach their curriculum and to provide their students with the basic equipment and supplies they need to get the job done,” Franz said at the board’s June 21 meeting. “Or, if they have taken money out of their own pockets, that they have not been reimbursed by this administration.”

Powers told the board she knows firsthand district teachers “put their hearts and souls, and, frankly, even portions of their paychecks, back into their classrooms.” As an example, Powers said Phyllis Ackfeld at Hagemann Elementary School has decorated her classroom with frogs.

“You may think that those are just decorations, but frogs are a theme in that classroom and by having a themed classroom this helps these young children remember routines and sets expectations,” she said.

Ackfeld’s room, according to Powers, also has soft chairs and pillows that encourage silent reading.

“It’s engaging children and actively involving them,” Powers said. “I can’t say for sure, but I am reasonably sure that the district budget is not buying pillows and bean bag chairs for our younger kids to engage them in reading centers …”

Ackfield confirmed with the Call that those items were not reimbursed by the district.

Powers also referenced Dan Moredock’s use of historical posters in his Washington Middle School classroom. Such tools are important because they help students “connect to their learning,” according to Powers, and it “gives a hands-on opportunity” for students to learn.

“As a board member and a parent, I’m in favor of that, and so I just want to publicly say I encourage teachers to keep doing what they do, do it well (and) in the best interest of our students,” Powers said.

Franz, who attended the June 25 meeting via telephone, said he appreciates Powers’ comments, but he stands by his previous statement. He said there is no teacher in the district not given the supplies and equipment needed for the curriculum they are required to teach.

“And for teachers, when they’re addressing the public via comments to the board or in the media, for teachers to suggest that they’re required to take money out of their own pockets to supply their classrooms with the necessary curricular items is both disingenuous and wrong,” Franz said, “and it sends an incorrect message to the taxpayers and, at times, I think it’s done intentionally.”

Though the district does provide supplies to teach basic curriculum, board member Kathleen Eardley said, “We don’t want our teachers to stop there.”

“We don’t want just the basic. We really want teachers to go above and beyond, and it’s not right to kick them in the mouth for doing so,” Eardley said.

Board President Venki Palamand noted comments from individual board members are not reflective of the entire board.

“We have not taken any position on this issue, and of course, during the open period of comments board members are free to discuss issues that are on their mind …,” he said.