Seattle Schools' Teachers on Strike
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| You have to be many things to be a teacher - tough is one of them. |
Tuesday Open Thread
The speaker list is up for the Board meeting tomorrow; not as packed as I thought with just four people on the waitlist. The majority of the speakers are speaking on high school boundaries (with several wanting to talk about Ballard High). There are only three of us speaking about the Green Dot resolution asking the City to not grant the zoning departures that Green Dot has requested. It's me, long-time watchdog, Chris Jackins, and the head of the Washington State Charter Schools Association, Patrick D'Amelio. (I knew Mr. D'Amelio when he headed the Alliance for Education and Big Brothers and Big Sisters; he's a stand-up guy.)
Comments
Having never experienced a strike before, I am curious about the way the strike works and how long it is likely to go. I just read that Friday is already planned for community service (instead of picketing), and thought it was interesting that the assumption seems to be that there will be no school all week. I realize nobody can predict the future, but how do things things tend to play out? Are negotiations happening right now? Should parents expect updates from the district? As a parent and taxpayer, I kind of want to know what's up.
Thanks to all of you who make this blog such a wealth of information.
Callme Confused
1) Usually, teacher strikes are about a week or less. That said, I do not think that will be the case unless the district moves towards the SEA direction. I say the district should move because they were even offering half the money that the SEA wanted. That seems less-than-helpful and it looks cheap given all the money the district has in reserve plus the money they took from the Capital budget.
2) I do not believe they are negotiating now. I think one side has to have something to bring to the table and both think they have done that, hence the strike. There is nothing stopping either side from asking to resume.
3) Yes, parents should expect updates from the district. That said, I will try to keep my ear to the ground to see what both sides are saying.
Unless the district gets religion, the strike may be weeks. I think Nyland has drawn a line in the sand that has now hardened teachers' hearts. Ditto on the Board.
But parents have power to pressure the district to do better (or, if you believe they have done enough, to support their refusal to pay more). You must send the Board an e-mail with your concerns and stand because they are likely to be tallying what comes to them.
This is the link http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/education/wildly-varying-teacher-salaries-part-of-state-budget-debate/
it does an amazing job for the Times to actually explain this debate.
And for those who are worried about learning you know home schooling is an option and could easily be done as a collective with any Teacher more than willing to help as part of their community service.
Call the union and ask them I bet they could easily give you names or that group with the Soup...
You could set up a mini class in a library or community center or City Hall! I like that one.. good coffee stand in the lobby btw
--- hope that helps
I do not say the district has tons of extra money but they certainly have a lot. They chose to cry poor one day and then turnaround and hire/spend money the next. The fact that they were going to give raises to everyone at JSCEE should tell you something. The fact that Ron English is "retired" and yet on the payroll until January should tell you something.
We are on a very busy street with hundreds of drivers honking and waving in support. Personally, I didn't expect the support to be so overwhelmingly pro teacher. Out of thousands of drivers there's only been one who stopped to scream at us to stop teaching evolution.
If you're a Seattle educator, parent, or student, tell us how this strike is affecting you. Email ssawchuk@epe.org, or tweet away #EdWeekTeacher
Thank you for the laugh.. okay the evolution thing is hilarious..wonder what school district he grew up in!
I am going with the 18th as the end of day.. putting us about 10 days late start which is not all that bad so a week added to the end of year and a pick up of the two lost days in holidays or in service days. As for inclement weather.. then add a day or two at most.. so late June end of year. So no one will die or have the strum drang of Chicago or Phillly, Seattle is just a conflict adverse town by nature.
But I wonder what the long range real issues that will come of this, as I can see in this blog and on other sites a divisive tone and narrative that frankly concerns me.
But again parents home school cooperatives would be fun and interesting just for that alone.. it does suck about space and materials but these community center places should be able also to assist to arrange that aspect.
- Hope this helps
"Most of the things we’re talking about need three to six months of lead time before then, so the practical constraint is July 1, 2016."
That's less than ten months from now, just sayin'.
-NNNCr
The teachers can sit out all year long as far as I'm concerned if it will once and for all break the cycle of hubris downtown. Let's blow up the whole district pyramid and start at the start again. Attract and retain creative, hardworking teachers. (Hint: That means paying them great salaries, giving them classroom autonomy within the law, and aiding them in procuring services they need for their students.) Insist as a district on smaller class sizes. Don't care if that means split shifts at crowded schools or teaching in a tent on a playground field. Students and teachers MUST have a reasonable expectation on individual interaction daily.
Add staff and support in service to these basics. Every job at HQ scrutinized and ranked as to how closely it adheres to that mission. Trim from above not below. And don't whine that it can't be done. Of course it can be done. It means fewer downtown services. Obvious downsides to that, but we can't have it all and we will never get out of this JSCEE madness cycle until the student/teacher classroom needs are the root of all budgeting. Will JSCEE do this? Not on its own. So it comes to the SEA. Not a perfect organization but the only one to force the change.
Stubborn mules don't like to be moved. As I started this post, let the teachers strike for months. Kicking the mule after decades of watching the JSCEE nonsense is about the only tactic left that I can see. The decades of students and teachers coming after this year's restart will thank this year's SEA for finally putting some spurs into the mule's side.
DistrictWatcher
http://www.seattleschools.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=627&pageId=1880819
To be honest I expected MORE spin from the district. This is an inherently political process. SEA is obviously spinning when they put out updates and go on the news- exactly as I would expect, and as I personally would behave if I was in the middle of a political negotiation. SPS is some(especially about how much progress they have made), but has remained somewhat complimentary of SEA. It's a little puzzling. Do they think parents are just kind of indifferent or something?
Seattle teacher strikes last somewhere around 20 days. I have not been able to figure out if that includes weekends, or if it is a month(4 weeks of 5 days). I am trying to make plans for 3-4 weeks of care. If it doesn't come together over the weekend, I would expect late October. Which is enraging. I want to pressure the district, and have, but I also think the teachers need to compromise more, and the district bargaining chair seems really unwilling to compromise, which is not the best fit for a negotiating chair. It's too much ground for one side to cover. Do we know who the mediator is? Are we sure they are good?
That list of unagreed proposals is incredibly long. I suppose we will see if the district still appears "fair" when they update after a new SEA counter proposal. Right now it looks like a lot of rejections from SEA just because that is where we are in the process, but if they are fair it should swap the next time they meet (which should be today?? I hope???).
-sleeper
In other words, let's start charter schools. Oh, wait...
Citizen Kane
Parents and students, we'd like to hear from you. What are your plans for the first day of the strike? What do you think about the issues teachers have raised? Comment here or call 206.221.3663
So there are currently 3 options that I can see.. striking and still negotiating in earnest. And that being settled in my guesstimation the 18th at the latest with school back on Monday the 21st.
Then we have the injunction function. I am nowhere near sure when that could happen but I think they could not get into a courtroom earlier than Monday. So Judge rules and that would put first day the 16th..
Then we have option 3 Teachers go Pasco (its the new Postal) and stay striking. Then it puts us way later on my calendar to say the 28th of September.
I am basing my theories on of course my own rationale - that being the reality of a city that is too expensive to live in without income for a month or longer. A city who doesn't do conflict well and is increasingly white collar.
I do see regardless of the length of this strike an emerging well no it exists now but will be more openly demonstrated, a divisiveness between the young new staff and the blue hairs. Then we have the sub issue and that was an ugly exchange in other posting between some "n" person and a man who gave his name. Wow just wow on that.
So I expect more divide, less conquer that will come of it for adults but kids..they are a resilient lot and will be undoubtedly more informed about income inequity than most. That cannot be a bad thing.
(And District Watcher you are old skool my friend old skool...but hey Bernie Sanders is running for Prez)
- Hope this helps
http://www.tfcbooks.org/best-recommended/booklist/labor
Thank you to Professor Wayne Au of UW Bothell for this.
Off to join our teachers!
That the JSCEE staff couldn't see this coming for the last couple of years is the best clue as to how clueless they are about what's happening in the schools. Board should push for a 20% reduction in downtown JSCEE staff (and probably time to sell the JSC and get smaller offices spread over a couple blocks so there's less of a centralized culture). The JSC not only isn't being paid off but it's acerbated the issue of a downtown corporate-like structure that is increasingly out of touch with the needs of the schools.
Thoughts
It sure does. So what was this "hush money" for anyway?
Rita
-- how much do teachers make? Everyone is expected to take sides, but it's almost taboo to mention what they are actually paid. My vague sense is, the average Seattle teacher makes around $70K cash plus healthcare, pension, and other benefits that probably take total comp up to around $90K. The median household (not individual but household) income in metro Seattle was quoted at $67,500 in 2013 by the Census Bureau. Median income in the whole US for people with bachelor's degree or more was about $50K in 2010. The numbers are slippery because they are never clear whether it's just cash or total comp, and employed full time or all people. But teachers don't seem like the oppressed of the earth. If their total comp were $90K, a household with just one teacher would be at about the 75th percentile for income nationally. Teachers earn less than brogrammers at Amazon but more than most people. They make more than me. What is the fair ratio of teacher comp to average comp?
-- When SPS advertises a job opening, do they hear the sound of crickets, or need crowd control? My sense was more the latter, based on anecdotal evidence. What's the real story?
-- Who will pay the taxes to pay higher teacher salaries? Even if the cash comes from the money tree in Olympia, someone still has to "fertilize" it. Does fair teacher pay = state income tax?
Truth is the first casualty of war, and information is the first casualty of labor disputes. All the above questions seem relevant and important but subject to radio silence.
So click on Seattle and then have at it. Curious as to what your kids Teacher makes it's there including stipends and insurance -
Very revealing info as the bureaucracy seems to have intersting views of thier salary tier vs the great unwashed
The only people not on that list are contacted employees such as bus drivers nor Substitute Teachers
I have seen the one unpleasant exchange between a sub and a teacher but none on the extraneous other bodies who build a school - janitors, aides, secretaries, home school liason, attendance clerks, school security .
I have no idea about how they are affected but they too are and may not qualify for an type of wage compensation loss if this goes on to long
But check out that link
- hope this helps
Also wondering when they will meet again.
We'll See
National news samples:
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/09/09/fighting-incredible-list-educational-reforms-seattle-teachers-go-historic-strike
http://www.democracynow.org/2015/9/9/headlines#9914
Seattle Teachers Launch First Strike in 30 Years
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/seattle-teachers-strike-kids-home-1st-day-school-33620585
-McClureWatcher
The comparisons to the nationwide median are irrelevant, because they include the vast lower-price, lower-wage parts of the country where houses cost $50K.
Also most teachers have master's degrees, so that should be your basis for comparison.
I would actually be happy to have my child's teachers be better compensated than Amazon employees. Amazon doesn't have the future in its hands.
"No breakthrough or new talks but SPS plans a briefing for media at HQ at 3 pm, w/at least 2 members of its bargaining team."
Outsider,
"But teachers don't seem like the oppressed of the earth."
No one said they were. The majority of people in this country live much better than the majority of people in the world.
I don't know that I think it fair to judge a job with just any other job. Teachers have seen more changes to what they do and how they do it in the last 5+ years than more people in their jobs. They are being asked to be counselors and social workers. They are asked to teach larger classes. If I were to compare (given the gun violence in this country), I say you might compare them with cops or firefighters.
Where to find the money, you ask and it's a good question. As I asked the Governor at his press conference in July, "Is it really about public ed funding or funding our state?" He wouldn't answer. I believe we are getting more and more to the point of either finding state funding in other ways or we will be at a breaking point. We're not a poor state but we can't keep running like this.
I don't resent what they are making now, at all. But I think we already do pay them well.
Numbers Geek
Keven Wynkoop, Ballard High principal (member of SPS bargaining team)
Jon Halfaker, executive director of schools/Northwest region (member of SPS bargaining team)
I had no idea that principals were on the teacher bargaining team. It makes sense (kind of) but it would seem to me not a good idea.
IA teacher
Comparing teachers to the rest of the world is hard because (as I understand) they don't pay 6% social security taxes, and don't get SS, but get a teacher pension instead that is probably twice as generous as SS. The value of the pension is not mentioned in the compensation numbers in the database.
In Nevada and California, teachers do not make a contribution to social security and thus have $0 into any Social Security retirement from teaching. In Nevada most districts pay both the teacher and the district contribution into the Teacher Retirement fund.
I think in CA the teacher puts in 6% and the District puts in 6%.
As far as I know: in WA state all teachers pay into Social Security as well as TERS (WA Teacher retirement fund).
Go to the Teacher retirement page explains all how this system works
One thing that does come out of this is the exchange on this bizarre labyrinth called public employee pay
- hope this helps
It's True
I am at a loss for why the union still exists in this setting; I believe teachers deserve to be paid well and believe they would be better served if they competed for jobs like regular people on their own merits (and this might have the added benefit of getting some of the dead wood out - that we know exists and is hard to fire/dismiss/lay off/etc.)
I also support our school district administrators; they work for me, the taxpayer.
We need to reform the whole system, including at the state level (obviously - - -that's sort of how we ended up here). It's not working anymore - for anyone - lease of all our 50,000+ students.
After serving 90 days in the district, a sub makes $187 per day. (Less than 90 = a lower step in pay.) If a substitute teacher works all 180 school days in a year, they will make at most $33,360. No benefits, no sick days, no TRI pay or anything like that. It's pretty much guaranteed that you will make less than that, because it is VERY difficult to make sure you work every day. Sometimes there just aren't jobs. $33k is the ceiling, not the average or even a reasonable expectation. It's also worth noting that I've subbed in numerous other districts to make sure I can work every day, and all of our neighbors pay less than Seattle.
If a sub is lucky, they might get a long-term job, which will pay out what that sub would make on the regular teacher pay scale, but long-terms don't happen all that often. I've had only a few over the years. You have to be teaching in your credential/subject area. This is one of the things that we've seen some progress on in the recent contract negotiations, but I couldn't say what that comes out to in actual dollars.
I don't know about you guys, but I want my kids teachers to be paid WAY above the median salary for an area. I want HR to be beating them off with sticks every time they post a job. But I'm kinda funny about education.
From my hiring committee and life experience, how many applicants there are depends on the position, the school and the timing of the posting. Sometimes (1st grade teacher at a well off school posted in the spring) a decent number of good solid applicants. Sometimes (HS Chemistry and physics or math, poorer school, posted in August), not even crickets. So it depends.
Numbers Geek
-watchingTV
-watching computer
-watching computer
Have you done both of these jobs? I'm not willing to say that a teacher's job is more demanding, more competitive, or more rigorous than an engineer's, because I've never been an engineer.
However, if you think being a teacher isn't demanding, competitive, or rigorous, then you've unfortunately missed the boat on pretty much everything about the profession. We also don't really get those summers and 3-4 weeks off every year. Yes, we have some time off. No, it's not all the time you think it is.
We spend much of that time going through even further training. When you're a teacher, you're never really done with the training--and, in many cases, the student debt that can come with it. We also spend that "time off" creating lesson plans and classroom materials and dealing with the nearly endless task of grading student work. We take our jobs home with us pretty much daily.
Summer break may see some vacation time, sure, but not remotely as much as you'd think. And those "Holiday Breaks" and "Spring Breaks?" even less. It's usually more like we're just working for home.
I'm okay with engineers making more than we do. I'm not okay with people believing we only work 7 hours a day and then go home and our "vacations" are anything of the sort.
At a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Seattle Public Schools spokesperson Stacy Howard announced that they had made a counter offer of a 14 percent pay raise for teachers over three years. The previous offer was 7 percent. Teachers want an 18 percent increase.
"Our most recent counter-offer included adding 20 minutes of student instructional time beginning in the third year of the contract," said Howard. "We are not extending the teacher work day."
HF
"Howard said negotiations will resume on Thursday morning."
HF
As I assume that "scold" was directed to me.. I just looked it up on the website and mis-typed TRI vs TRS good thing I am not in your classes!!! Oh wait I am too stupid as I am talking about things I know nothing about. But I did have the audacity and temerity to look up the system.(are those good big words or should I not use them?)
http://www.drs.wa.gov/member/systems/trs/
As for Social Security I was not sure as the site clearly does discuss working and penalty and the issue about substitute and substitute teaching. And I assume that the pension issue is why there is a shortage of subs as it mentions that penalty issue and that may be why as its pure speculation on my part. There I go talking about stuff I know nothing about!
And then there is the issue of solely subs and they are "Teachers" as the veteran sub has said.. but they are according to someone here "not very good: .. but again I would think that having all the bells, whistles, the same education and training but wearing a different hat every day would actually make them a great Teacher. But what do I know I am talking about stuff I know nothing about and yet aren't Teachers supposed to help that. Hmmm...
Clearly that divisiveness I am worried about is coming out full force - the US vs them and its going to get worse before better.
God bless everyone but this blog is not someplace clearly I belong. Nasty people here.
- Hope that helps
(clearly no but to the good Teachers be they full part or substitutes you are good people and I hope this works out the best for all)
Every teacher I know had off from July until Sept. Some worked very part time or just did not work. They also are not grading or doing lesson plans during the various breaks.
I think the large amount of time off ( about three months if you follow SPS calander)need to be factored into the total compensation that they receive per year. So if a starting teacher gets $45,000 per year in Seattle, it's for 9 months of work not 12. If it was factored on 12 months ( like the rest of us), it would be closer to $60,000. That's good money for a college grad.
To say that teachers are not well paid is untrue, unless you only fat or in the 9 months of work and don't calculate the per month income.
This not to argue that teachers should not get a raise or should work for free, I'm just tired of hearing that teachers are so underpaid.
The demanding and competitive part was about entering the profession. It is harder to get in and complete an engineering program in college than an education one, and more competitive to get the engineering jobs we are talking about.
Numbers Geek
-- 9% of 20% = 1.8%, or
-- they would increase TRI by an amount that equals 9% of total salary?
If all this fight is over 1.8% it seems dumb. On the other hand, if it's 9% of total salary, which could be more like 40% of total SPS contribution to teacher salary, it sounds like a big leap in local expense and one might wonder where the money would come from. Is enough additional general purpose cash expected from the state to cover the expense? Or would it depend on voters to approve a bigger school levy?
In WA all teachers are paying into Social Security but not all teachers nationally are paying into SS (that’s where the “misinformation” Curb alludes to comes from). There’s a thing called WEP (Windfall Elimination Provision) which is a complicated mess for teachers in states that did not pay into Social Security, with an issue for teachers and/or their surviving spouses when there was a mix of many years of paying into Social Security for some jobs/years and yet also many years teaching and not paying into Social Security. Grossly oversimplified – the theory is that somebody who did not pay consistently into SS should have limits on that benefit, but in attempting to balance this fairness many beneficiaries appear to be overly penalized. It has pushed many people into sudden poverty at some stage of retirement, often when a spouse dies. Complicated – I only read about it out of concern it’d impact my retirement someday but although I spent many years in industry I’m still paying into SS as a teacher so no impact - whew.
Dan, yes, theoretically all WA teachers’ pay into TRS (I’m not sure if a retire-rehire exemption, but that abuse was well documented in the press and somewhat curtailed just under a decade ago). The minimum is 5% and the maximum is 15% - 6 options (A – F). This “defined contribution” is like a mandatory 401(k) although once a rate is set it can only be changed by changing districts. For substitutes membership in TRS is optional.
The “pension” or “defined benefit” is a part of our pay, although indirectly as the district pays into TRS on our behalf (the amount shows on our paychecks). A minor consideration is that newer teachers are not vested in the plan until 10 full service credit years or 5 years of service if 12 of the months are earned after age 44 (I think to encourage industry transfers into teaching). Those teachers who never reach vesting before leaving the profession will not get a pension (ex. the near 50% who leave the teaching profession in < 5 years).
The pension amount (for most newbies… an older pension plan exists for long-term teachers) is 1% per year of the average of the 60 consecutive highest paid service credit months. If a highly educated individual (Masters + 155 credits) left industry and had taught the last 10 years in SSD they would receive about $6,700/year (after age 65) as that would be close to 10% of their average pay last 5 years. I give this example because some Seattle Times commenters act as if they make their full salary and other such nonsense – a good benefit like when I used to get matching 401k before teaching.
Teacher Notes
-sleeper
We (teachers) were told that we are not bargaining today because we gave a proposal to SPS and we were waiting to hear back. People were frustrated that SPS is not responding to the SEA proposal so the bargaining could keep going. On the news, SPS says they gave a proposal to SEA and are waiting for SEA to get back to them:)Where's the mediator? I support the strike AND I want to go back to class and begin teaching.
Teacher
You might want to think about where you are directing your frustration.
Another Teacher
I think many educators would be OK with no raise- just give us more bodies to do the jobs we have taken over in the last few years when schools were staffed so much better. Support staff. Counselors. 40 million has been added to the school district this year...where has it gone? That could add 400 teachers, if you paid them 100K each. Though the district says it is lowering class size in K-2…classes sizes in other grades are growing. Id love to see what my school would be staffed at using staffing ratios from even 5 years ago- but the info can’t be found unless you kept it.
Sample mid range teacher with masters if 18% is achieved
Current total salary: 57,304
18% over 3 years: final total salary (same place on salary scale) 64191
actual increase in total pay: 12%
increase student contact hours, high school: 10%
not factoring in COLA or increase in health care costs
Frustrated
-whatup?
Speak for yourself! I'm not directing my frustration at anyone. I'm just saying I would like bargaining to continue. I support the strike. I don't think it is fair to expect teachers (or anyone) to work more hours and not get paid more. I listened to the press conference and all this mumbo jumbo about how they aren't reaaally taking time away from teachers by expecting them to work more. Give me a break! More instructional time with students means more lesson prep time for me.
Teacher
My hunch is that as both sides play this through the media we're likely further and further from the truth as to what's really happening (even if the mediator is smack in the middle, getting frustrated with both sides, but nonetheless mediating as should be). Hopefully the real negotiating work is getting done better than any of us know, despite the respective spins, so we can get back in the classroom. Back to the calculations/research.
Discombobulated Calculator
Discombobulated, you may be closer to the truth because this isn't about just the teachers strike. It's about both sides taking a statement for future use. There are many more agendas here than just two.
David Edelman
-sleeper
As for the "3 months off", I think you have to factor in the number of hours worked. If teachers work 50 hours a week during the year, that's pretty much 2000 work hours, or full time. Sure, they get all of their hours in 9 months, but that doesn't mean they're not working full time.
I would happily take reduced class loads and increased support staff in lieu of a raise.
OnStrike
I wonder how long Dr. Larry Nyland will remain in his position after a long strike.
David Edelman
OnStrike
Some Levity
If a teacher is working 50 hours per week. Than they are new or incompetent
-Yikers
TS
While agreed newer teachers tend to work longer than average, my school is quite fortunate to have a lot of veterans who also work long hours both at school and clearly in the evenings based on email communications. One very reasonable distinction I have noticed is that some of us without kids tend to work slightly longer hours, but we don't have family/parenting obligations (and I wouldn't want them to neglect their own children to help take care of others anyhow). I've also noticed that near-retirement teachers tend to work fewer hours (experience has made them much more efficient, and yet I've seen exceptions including one teacher still putting close to 60 hour weeks even the year before retirement... she was a campus leader and the kids loved her and often didn't let her leave early).
Of course, some of the bravado that we all work 60+ hour weeks isn't believable either and has hurt the teachers cause, and it isn't evidence of incompetence either. Like all professions there's some variation and individual circumstances. Indeed, some parts of the year (Spring) I am able to work fewer hours and other parts (start, semester transition, end of year, exam grading weekends) just have to grin and get through it.
Not new/incompetent
Shame on both sides for letting it get to this point when you've been negotiating or discussing since May!!! the ONLY losers here are the kids when they finally get back in the classroom, because there will be pressure on THEM to catch up or rush through things - even if the year is extended - it's human nature to hurry after a crisis. To both sides - find a new way to do this. You both should have been camped out ALL SUMMER in Olympia demanding that the state take some action. Know that the longer this goes, regardless of how much I support and already respect our educators and administrators, my anger turns to both sides and I place my blame equally. Both sides set a horrible example for kids. I don't get to walk out of my job when it sucks - I have to keep doing it while I try to fix what sucks. I don't get to walk away from negotiating with a co-worker when we can't some to an agreement.
If every legislator had their constituents pissed as hell because schools won't open until they get the constitutionality mandated "ample" amount of money, maybe then they would figure out how to comply with McCleary. What other avenues are there left to try? Patience doesn't get kids who need resources now what they need to become the future successes we ALL expect them to become.
-UnitedWish
Who do you think will be teaching them? The teachers are going to get tremendous pressure and they know it. I don't believe anyone at all takes this lightly. And, both sides are meeting with a mediator so it's not like they are not trying.
this is just my parent viewpoint - I'm fully aware that everyone would rather be back in the classroom or doing the jobs they were hired to do rather than walking a picket line.
HP
I understand your frustration and here's two things.
1) It has been two days and they are now using a mediator. That's good and let's hope that gets us to a reopening of schools soon.
2) It might be good for PTAs to express their approval/unhappiness over this issue. Put some real pressure on them.
Or maybe that mediator will help. I hope they are excellent.
-sleeper
http://www.pta.org/about/content.cfm?ItemNumber=1271
PTA member