CAT Tracks for April 30, 2002 DAY 3...VERY QUIET

Day 3 of the strike proved very uneventful...The District did NOT try to bring Seniors and 8th Graders in for instruction by administrators as previously announced. As of this afternoon, parents were being told that school would NOT be open for any students on Tuesday. Plans for such an opening were evidently dropped when parents told the District administration on Sunday afternoon that they were not interested in having their children cross a picket line. The parents also were upset with the District for trying to have classes for some of the students instead of ALL of the students.

Teachers continued to "man the picket lines" on Monday and spirits remained high. Most teachers spent the day venting their anger at the District's release of individual salary and benefits information to the public. Earlier, the Board team had refused to give this same information to the CAT bargaining team...citing laws regulating "confidentiality"! Instead of trying to work with teachers to end the strike, the administration keeps taking steps to alienate its employees! This is the same group of teachers who were told by the superintendent that they PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE PAID on April 30th - just before taking a vote on whether to accept or reject the Board's contract offer. The teachers voted to reject, and immediately followed that action with a vote to strike.

The strike will continue Tuesday morning with picketing at all four attendance centers and the District's central office as both sides abide by the "time for reflection" period suggested by the federal mediator. No talks are scheduled, but a meeting could be called on short notice.

LATE BREAKING NEWS...

Local television stations reported tonight that the District WOULD open its doors to Seniors and 8th Graders tomorrow morning (Tuesday)...after telling some parents face-to-face this afternoon that they would not! IF THIS REPORT IS TRUE...then the deception continues. Surprised?...NOT!

AND...they just cannot get it right! While I am outside mowing my (VERY TALL) grass, one of my students drives up to inform me that the District had called the student's home and told the student to report to school for tutoring...that the student had failed the Constitution test. WRONG! And they say WE are "holding the children hostage"!

At least some of our students are learning exactly who is using them as pawns! It is NOT the teachers - who are standing up for their rights by pursuing a legal activity. It IS the District administration which puts pressure on parents and students in their effort to break the union.