The federal mediator assigned to the contract negotiations between the striking Strongsville teachers' union and Board of Education has called a session for 1 p.m. Sunday, March 17 to resume talks.
It will be the first meeting between the two negotiating teams since the teachers' union went on strike March 4.
“The federal mediator has asked that our negotiation team be present,” School Board President David Frazee said in a news release. “As I have indicated in the past, the board’s team will be present whenever the federal mediator calls for a meeting.”
The negotiations will take place at 1 p.m. at the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service regional office in Independence.
The Strongsville Education Association, which represents the 383 striking Strongsville school employees, set a meeting for today at a regional union office, without the mediator present, and called on all five school board members to attend.
Board members said they would not be at the meeting, and said the negotiating team -- which does not necessarily include board members -- would meet only when the mediator arranged a bargaining session.
This will be the third meeting that the federal mediator has scheduled since the teachers’ strike started on March 4, but it is the first with the negotiation teams.
The other two involved only two key players from each side and focused on how to proceed, not on actual contract discussions.
To see the contracts proposed by each side, click here.
“We will continue to keep the community informed as the mediation process continues,” Frazee said.
Related stories:
Teachers' Strike in Strongsville Day 12: Attendance is Up in Schools; Rally Set for Friday
No Progress in Strongsville Teachers' Strike
'Scab' Posters Turn Up Near Teacher's Home
Parents Want to Make Classrooms 'Happier'
Teachers' Strike Day 1: Picket Lines in Strongsville
Rally Urges Strongsville Teachers to Cross Picket Lines
Strongsville Teachers Vote to Strike
A Few Teachers Cross Picket Line; One Teacher Says She was Hit By Car
No New Talks Set in Teachers' Strike; Sides Still Far Apart
Second Striking Teacher is Charged
Strongsville Teachers Shout at Subs as They Apply to Replace Them
Strongsville Teachers Won't Honor Subs' Grades During Strike
School Board Files Unfair Labor Practice Charge Against Teachers' Union
Teachers' Union Criticizes School Board for Truancy Policy
200 Subs Now in Strongsville Schools
Picketer Arrested for Blocking Driveway
Strongsville AP Students Aren't Letting Strike Stop Their Learning
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I imagine you have a lot of sweatshirts with Teddy Bears on the front of them. Throw one on with a pair of elastic waist jeans, and you are all set for a big night out at Golden Coral.
I have to ask, if you honestly believe that is true, then why are most of you against tying your demands to the passing of a levy next year? Let the BOE have a contingency that if a levy does not pass, you will not get any of your demands met and their plan will go in place (and hopefully a deeper cutting plan instead). I mean, hey, if the people of Strongsville (as you claim) are with you and your cause, then it's literally only a matter of months before you are vindicated and we see this massive outpouring of "YES" votes for the next levy right? Why would something like that strike fear in such a "loved" and "supported" group of people? It's basically automatic, right? You won't do it...bc you KNOW that you are so far in the minority that it's not even funny. You all know damn well that you have crossed the pt of no return with the ppl of this city. Any levy that has an ounce of possibility to fund a dime of teacher pay will be squashed at the polls. The only time a levy will pass here again is if it is worded to 100% exclude teacher compensation with any incoming funding from tax $$. So, cross...or get in line and keep up the mindless marching behind Tracy Pig to the slaughterhouse.
1. Public school teachers must be certified in the subjects they teach, private school teachers do not have to be. 2. The student body at a private school tends to be much less challenging as they can choose who to admit and easily get rid of students who do not follow the rules. It is very difficult to expel a student from a public school. 3. Public school teachers must adhere to state standards and benchmarks, private school teachers do not. 4. Public school teachers must be evaluated by a state-approved evaluation program, private school teachers do not. 5. Public school teachers must prepare students for standardized testing, private school teachers do not. 6. Public school teachers typically teach more students at once as class sizes are almost always larger at public schools. I am not saying there are not quality teachers in private schools, but there are way less hoops to jump through. I don't always agree with what the state puts in place to try and ensure a quality public education, but I do think that some oversight is necessary to keep things fair and consistent for the students. This way, hopefully, they go out into the world at least as competitive as their peers. The success of private school students has a lot to do with socioeconomic status.
http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/3311
1. I question how much benefit there is in requiring a teacher to be certified in the subject they are teaching. Seems like an unnecessary regulation. I doubt there is hard data on this, but if there is, I'd love to see it. 2. It really does need to be easier to expel a child from a public school, though I recognize that this will likely always be more complicated than in a private school. 3. Again, the state standards and benchmarks . . . it just seems like kids can graduate okay from private school, and if so, I have to wonder how necessary all of these benchmarks are. I understand the need for some regulation. 4. Right now I think the evaluation program from the state is pretty much lip service, since nothing seems to happen to bad teachers. I've seen you reference a new evaluation process starting in a year or two, so warts and all, hopefully that brings some improvement. 5. This one was a shocker. Are you saying private school teachers don't have to take standardized tests? Or is it just that the teacher isn't required to prepare the students for them? 6. It's true that public schools have to accept everyone and that private school students are better off, but I wonder . . . how many of the "hard cases" are being lifted up in public schools?
Well said, as usual. Where have you been the last few days? Your name brings fear to Lynn Shady after the public humiliation you put her through last week. It's nice to see you back.
I realize that I'm generalizing here based on just my experience, but it's the only firsthand knowledge I have of such things. Thanks again for your reasoned, informative, and rational reply! You seem like one of the good teachers, and I'm sure your students are lucky to have you.
However, I think because it is a vocational school it should not be included in comparisons with public city schools, K-12. Have a better evening.
As to your point about the evaluation program, I see how it could easily seem like lip-service though it isn't meant to be. Believe it or not, many good teachers would like to see the ineffective teachers leave the profession as well. It's one of the main things that tarnishes our reputation in the communities eyes. Unfortunately, a teacher can not fire another teacher. The administration has to initiate and follow the process...they just don't do it as often as they should for a variety of reasons - though I have seen a couple teachers let go in my 12 years - usually it is for something other than "just" being an ineffective teacher.
There are teachers unions in most every state. I think there are only 5 that don't allow unionism of public school teachers. The flip side is in states where there are no unions the students are among the lowest educated in the US. I don't want to get rid of the union, - I'd like to see the union accept the economy and the community's inability to pay any more right now. It may take several years before we all recover. I have no problem with paying a good wage - I know you get what you pay for - but you also can't get cash from an empty source. I agree the automatic raises has to go and something else in its place. And I'm all for a merit based system; paying their own retirement and changes in health care coverage and their share of the payment. Personally, if their average salary remains between the 15th and 25% of Ohio teacher salaries based on all similar factors (no hidden compensation like the pick up and voluntary work stipends) that is Ok with me as well. I don't think the teachers have the right to run the district. and that means the sizes of a class etc is the decision of the administration. Employees do what the employer needs you to do - you don't tell them how to run their business. I agree, they need to always be held accountable for their behavior. There should be no free pass on some of what has been happening. They are an example - part of the job. My child had a positive experience in Strongsville - several good teachers.
The initial union tactic was to force the BOE into signing an unwise, unfunded contract, leaving the voters the choice between drastic cuts or higher taxes. When that plan failed, the next tactic was to shut down the schools. That also failed. The next, and possibly final, union strategy is pretend the BOE is not moving forward and replacing them. Thrown in amongst all of this is a massive media blitz, which is destined to fail. Why is it destined to fail? The average Strongsville voter is a little brighter than to fall for these tactics which worked on a national stage.
Now, the question is does being certified in a certain area make you a better teacher? That is debatable. I don't think that college programs are training teachers as well as they should be. If they were, the attrition rate among new teachers would not be the highest of pretty much any career out there. That being said, I think that being certified, and the rigorous Praxis tests you have to pass to become certified, do insure that you have an excellent knowledge of your subject matter. The problem is, a good knowledge of subject matter is only ONE skill that a good teacher needs to have. Things like pedagogy, classroom management, intervention, and inter-personal skills are never measured and only dealt with in theory rather than practice in many of the teacher prep courses.
Tracy for the good of the city and the good of the teachers please resign
As you know, I like to be involved in communities where I own properties, but I do have bigger fish to fry...in this case, it was "fugu," or as some of you may know it, Japanese "blowfish." Extremely expensive and very deadly if mishandled. Thankfully, I'm filthy rich and don't make mistakes.
http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/Main-Menu/Staffingstudents/Teacher-quality-and-student-achievement-At-a-glance Some interesting findings that actually support the idea that stronger teachers end up in better paying districts, that maybe years of experience should translate to more pay since it does improve student achievement, that a smart teacher makes a smart student (so how do we attract intelligent people to the field of education rather than medicine, law, engineering, etc) and some other food for thought.