Cairo Association of Teachers - Press Release
Cairo Association of Teachers - Press Release
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CAT Press Release
May 15, 2002 |
CAT NEWS
Cairo Association of Teachers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE CAIRO SCHOOL BOARD WILL MEET AT 5:00 PM,
THURSDAY, May 16 at 303 34th St. Cairo.
TEACHERS, PARENTS TO ATTEND CAIRO BOARD MEETING
Board Members Can End Dispute with a Vote
Cairo, IL -- May 15, 2002 Parents and teachers in Cairo will pack Thursday's scheduled meeting of the school board in a last-ditch effort to end the contract dispute that has closed District 1 schools since April 25th.
Ron Newell, president of the Cairo Association of Teachers (CAT), said teachers and parents agree that the dispute needs to end immediately and his group will be ready to return to classrooms within 24 hours if the board agrees to honor the contract offer that was accepted by the teachers last week, then yanked off the table by the board.
"If any member of the school board wants to see the children back in school, that person will make a motion during the meeting to reinstate the offer to the teachers," Newell said.
"If that offer is available, the teachers will take it and we will return to school Friday morning."
Newell said the dispute has been tough on his members but even harder on the students and their parents.
"It takes one school board member with courage to stand up and say 'enough is enough'."
"It's time for everyone involved to think about the children. We are ready to settle. If the board is ready to settle, the dispute will end Thursday," Newell said.
