In the Matter of the Arbitration Between Susquehanna Valley Central School District at Conklin, Appellant, and…

Summary

The Court of Appeals affirmed the Appellate Division’s order compelling arbitration of a teachers’ grievance over a staff‑size reduction, holding that the school board may voluntarily bargain and agree to arbitrate disputes concerning staff size because no statutory or public‑policy prohibition exists. The decision rests on the distinction between mandatory bargaining duties and the freedom to submit issues to arbitration, as articulated in prior Huntington and West Irondequoit cases. Justice Fuchsberg’s separate concurrence critiques the majority’s public‑policy commentary.