Teachers Want Arbitration, Would Return to Classrooms if Board Agrees

Striking Strongsville teachers said they will return to the classrooms this week if the Board of Education agrees to settle the contract dispute with binding arbitration.

Strongsville Education Association President Tracy Linscott delivered the proposal to Superintendent John Krupinski Tuesday afternoon following a rally on the City Commons.

"We are proposing a concept that puts students first and allows us to return to our classrooms as soon as possible," Linscott said at the rally.

The deal, if accepted by the School Board, calls for an arbitrator to be selected and a hearing set for some time between June 30 and Aug. 30.

Teachers would go back to work and the SEA and Board of Education would continue to negotiate a contract.

Any issues that remain unresolved by the hearing date would be decided by the arbitrator, whose decision would be binding.

School Board President David Frazee said Tuesday afternoon he was reading the proposal and expected the School Board to issue a response soon.

Sherrod Brown Offers to Help

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown told a crowd of several hundred teachers and supporters Tuesday he believes both teachers and administrators care about the students in Strongsville.

"Ultimately, this is about the children," Brown said. "It's not just a cliche."

He joined Linscott in speaking at Tuesday's rally, saying that immediately afterward, he planned to call Frazee to urge the School Board to meet again with the teachers' union.

After the rally, Brown released this statement:

"Strongsville students deserve a settlement – now. But a settlement can’t be reached if the two parties aren’t talking. That’s why I joined teachers today – who told me how they want to be back in the classroom – and why I will keep in contact with the School Board. This issue is about fairness for educators and taxpayers alike. But most importantly, this is about our children’s wellbeing and their right to a quality education, which is why both sides need to come together now."

Also speaking at the rally was Mary Alice Conkey, president of the Northeastern Ohio Education Association, who told the striking teachers they "stand together today for every Ohio worker" and pledged that "33,000 NEOEA members will not rest until you have a fair contract."

Conkey also told the teachers they would still be in their jobs "after your superintendent and school board are long gone."

Strike Starts 5th Week

The rally came the day Strongsville students returned to school after spring break. Striking teachers have been without pay or benefits for slightly more than four weeks now.

Linscott blamed the School Board for that, saying that when the negotiating team issued a "last best offer" on March 2, "the board actually forced the strike."

She also said the board "intentionally caused chaos in this community" by posting both sides' contract proposals on the school district's website.

Linscott said binding interest arbitration is the only way to see whether the board is telling the truth about the district's financial situation.

“If the board’s claim that they don’t have the money to pay quality teachers fair wages is true, this process will reveal that. However, if the position of the SEA is correct and the board is intentionally suppressing revenues in order to justify their current negotiating tactics, that truth will be revealed as well," she said.

After the rally, the group of supporters walked to the school administration building, where Linscott met Superintendent John Krupinski at the doorway to hand-deliver the proposal.

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For other stories on the teachers' strike, click here.

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