Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for March 4, 2008 STRIKE IN HARDIN COUNTY SCHOOLS

To paraphrase a line from a Stace England song..."life is hard in Hardin County schools".

At least this week...and beyond?

As for the last paragraph in the story...

Those of us who were around in 2002 know how Cairo School District Number One made up the PSAE test...it didn't! The administration chose to shut down the schools and not make up any of the 17 days missed! That was a shining example of the LEGAL ADVICE for which CSD #1 pays through the nose.

Hopefully, sanity will prevail in Hardin County.

Hardin County Teachers on Strike

By Ryan Kruger

HARDIN COUNTY -- School is cancelled in Hardin county the rest of the week due to a teachers strike. School administrators were unable to reach an agreement with the teachers union Monday, and as a result members say they will be picketing at the school starting Tuesday.

The union wants benefits and health insurance for teacher's aides, custodians, and other support staff members. School administrators say those workers knew the job didn't come with any benefits when they accepted the positions.

"From the stand point of the board we're just very disappointed that we couldn't come together," said Ernie Fowler, Hardin county superintendent.

Fowler says the proposal from union leaders to give benefits and health insurance to support staff would cost the school a quarter of a million dollars during the course of a three year period. And without any extra room in the school's budget, taxpayers would be footing the bill.

"Quite frankly we are holding firm that we don't believe the taxpayers of Hardin county have that kind of money," said Fowler.

But Hardin county teacher Patti Koch says its necessary for the support staff to be treated the same as teachers.

She points to the success the school has had academically as a perfect combination between teachers and their support.

"This school would not run without them, they're very important, they're very important and we all feel that way," said Koch.

A federal mediator has advised the two sides to cool off. That means for the next several days, the hallways at Hardin county school will remain empty.

"We all feel that we all need to stand by each other and we all feel its important everyone gets offered the same thing," said Koch.

The school was supposed to start state testing Tuesday. A strike has never interrupted this process before now, so this teacher walkout will set precedence on how the students will make up the tests.