Hundreds rally as national union president calls for respect, dignity for Scranton teachers
Hundreds of Scranton teachers, led by the national president of their union, demanded today that the school district treat them with respect and dignity.
On the sixth day of the strike, most of the union’s 940 teachers and paraprofessionals filled the sidewalk and closed a lane of traffic in front of the district’s Administration Building. American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten gave an impassioned plea for a fair contract.
“You are striking for what kids need. You are striking for their future and shame on this board of education and shame on this superintendent,” she said during her second visit to Scranton in the last month.
As Ms. Weingarten spoke, some district employees peered out the windows. Many of her comments were directed at the school board and to the new superintendent, Alexis Kirijan, Ed.D.
“If you, madam superintendent, really believe in kids the way you so profess, then you get to the bargaining table and negotiate 24-7,” Ms. Weingarten said. “How do you come in from Atlanta in July, and the first thing you do is create a strike in this great city of Scranton?”
Mary Delmar, a teacher at Kennedy Elementary School, said union members stand together, eliciting cheers from fellow employees.
“We have never been treated like this before,” she said. “We are being treated so disrespectfully.”
Teachers also carried boxes into the building’s lobby containing petitions with 11,000 signatures that called for a fair contract for Scranton teachers.
“What’s fair for one is fair for all, 2.5 percent for all,” teachers chanted, making reference to the superintendent’s contract, which calls for automatic 2.5 percent raises.
Teacher Dawn Hafner grabbed a megaphone to help lead the chants.
“The longer we’re out, the stronger we get,” she and the teachers said.
When reached after the rally, Dr. Kirijan said she does not understand where teachers get the idea that she does not respect them.
“I have visited their classes several times and showed them a great deal of respect. I respect anyone who chooses the hard profession of a teacher,” she said. “I don’t measure respect by money. Maybe they’re confusing that.”
Dr. Kirijan also said she did not create the strike. The teachers called the strike, and they have the right to do that, she said.
“Any decisions that are being made per the teachers contract, those decisions are not being made solely by me. I work for the board of education,” she said. “We are trying to do the right things for the right reasons. Our budget can only stretch so far. We stretched the budget beyond what we could possibly comfortably do, to get teachers a contract that could be satisfactory to them, but it’s not.”
Dr. Kirijan said she was brought to the district to improve achievement and resolve the district’s financial challenges.
“The school district is broke. You really can’t give what you don’t have,” she said. “I’m here to straighten out the financial
CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST AND SEE VIDEO of RANDI IN ACTION: Hundreds rally as national union president calls for respect, dignity for Scranton teachers - News - The Times-Tribune: