It appears the Orange County School District is taking steps toward offering benefits to the domestic partners of district employees.
Representatives from the District, the teachers' union and the district staff union met Sept. 7 for an initial discussion of the proposal, which was proposed several months ago by the Orange County Classroom Teachers’ Association.
The representatives discussed how to define a domestic partnership, how to prove a couple is in a domestic partnership and whether children would also receive benefits under the plan. The bargaining team sent the proposal to the fringe benefits committee to work out those details and then it will go back to bargaining, according to Howard Middle School art teacher Clinton McCracken.
McCracken told local media that when his partner lost his job as a teacher, McCracken couldn't add him to his benefits plan because they are unable to be legally married.
The next discussion of the issue is set for a meeting on Sept. 18.
McCracken says the school board will also meet Sept. 20 for a workshop on adding sexual orientation to the non-discrimination policy. He said the union is asking that they also include gender identity and expression.
