What would a teacher or a school administrator do if two students were constantly fighting and threatened to disrupt the education of a number of other students?
That's simple. They would separate the two, find out what was wrong, find a resolution and have the two sides shake hands. That's exactly what should happen with the teacher contract dispute between the teachers' association and the San Mateo-Foster City School District. For approximately seven months, the two sides have been deadlocked in their negotiations for a new contract. Teachers are threatening to strike and the district said it will hire substitutes to make sure schools stay open.
Teachers say the issue for them is student/teacher case loads for middle schools. While the district is looking for flexibility in the number of teacher contacts, teachers don't seem to be willing to bend. Right now, the average student/teacher case load is set at a maximum of 177. The district wants new guidelines to be an average of 175 contacts with a maximum of 185. Sounds pretty close right? Well it may as well be a difference of 500 because both sides aren't budging.
Teachers say the passage of a recent parcel tax required the district to keep ratios where they are. The district has a different perspective. Here's where the conflict lies.
But if the education of the students is the issue here, if teachers are worried bigger classes will hurt their ability to teach, then striking to preserve class sizes doesn't make any sense. While the district is trying to make every assurance that there will be enough substitute teachers to keep schools open, there will be a disruption to education. Students are bound to ask questions and the relationships that teachers have tried so hard to establish will be disrupted.
For the benefit of the 10,000 students in the district, the teachers' association and the district need to find a solution. Granted, the district is one of the lowest funded in the entire county and serves the most students. Money is tight and the district could face another $3 million deficit this year.
Teachers have pleaded their case to parents, who are themselves now rallying to keep the strike from happening. Parents say the issues are clouded and they are no longer interested in the demands of either sides. Now, it's a matter of getting the two sides together to reach an accord.
The district, the teachers, parents and most importantly, the children will suffer if there is a strike. Already, too much time and effort has been wasted in negotiations and district preparations for a strike. It's time to put pride aside and compromise. Enough is enough.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.