Hempfield School District teachers urge board to make contract deal
MICHAEL THUS MEANING JERRY, WHEN I SAY I HAVE NEVER SEEN A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING THIS WELL ATTENDED, THAT IS NOT AN UNDERSTATEMENT. THERE WERE TEACHERS, PARENTS, AND PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COMMUNITY THAT PACKED THIS BOARD ROOM. THE CROWD EVEN EXTENDED TO OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING. THERE WERE EVEN PEOPLE IN LAWN CHAIRS IN THE PARKING LOT JUST TRYING TO LISTEN IN TO HEAR WHAT WAS GOING ON INSIDE. AND IN THE END, THIS ALL REVOLVED AROUND TEACHERS. THIS MARKS THE 100TH DAY THAT TEACHERS IN THIS DISTRICT HAVE BEEN WORKING WITHOUT A CONTRACT, AND SO MANY OF THEM SAY THAT IT IS WELL PAST TIME FOR A NEW DEAL. OUR TEACHERS ARE FED UP. WE’RE TIRED OF THIS. TONIGHT, BEFORE THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, TEACHERS LINED THE STREETS WITH SIGNS IN HAND, LETTING THEIR VOICES BE HEARD. HEMPFIELD HAS TRADITIONALLY ALWAYS HAD A VERY GOOD CONTRACT IN THIS AREA, AND I FEEL LIKE THAT’S UNDER ATTACK AFTER 100 DAYS WITHOUT A CONTRACT. TONY JANNOTTA, WHO IS A SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER, ALONG WITH BEING THE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT, DESCRIBES WHAT IT’S LIKE FOR TEACHERS TO WORK WITHOUT A DEAL. THE MORALE IS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER. THERE’S A LACK OF TRUST. THERE’S A LACK OF WE FEEL LIKE THERE’S A LACK OF SUPPORT BY THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE BOARD, AND OVERALL IT JUST BRINGS EVERYBODY DOWN. YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF THE PUBLIC OPINION OF TEACHING SOMETIMES IS WE HAVE SUMMERS OFF OR WE ARE DONE AT 250 IN THE AFTERNOON. THERE ARE PLENTY OF US THAT TAKE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK AT HOME. SOME OF THE TOP ITEMS TEACHERS SAY THEY NEED WITH A NEW CONTRACT INCLUDE PROPER SALARY RAISES AND BENEFITS, GOOD WORKING CONDITIONS, ALONG WITH TAKING A DEEPER LOOK AT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE STUDENT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. PLEASE WORK WITH THE TEACHERS TO SIGN A CONTRACT AS THE MEETING BEGAN AND MOVED INSIDE, SPEAKERS SHARED THEIR THOUGHTS ABOUT WHY TEACHERS NEED A NEW DEAL. IT’S IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS NOT ONLY CONTRACTUALLY, TO KNOW WHAT THEY CAN BE PAID AND TO BE HELD THAT WAY, BUT ALSO FOR MORALE IN GENERAL AND RECOGNIZING THAT THEIR EMPLOYER AND THEIR COMMUNITY VALUE THEM. PARENT KATE LINTON SAID SHE NEEDED TO COME OUT AND SUPPORT THE TEACHERS BECAUSE SHE WANTS THE DISTRICT TO NOT ONLY RECRUIT, BUT TO RETAIN GOOD EDUCATORS, TO CONTINUE TO HAVE HEMPFIELD BE A DISTRICT WHERE STUDENT TEACHERS AND FOLKS WHO ARE GRADUATING ARE COMING AND MOVING INTO THE LANCASTER AREA WANT TO TEACH. WE’RE HISTORICALLY BEEN KNOWN FOR HAVING A GREAT DISTRICT AND WE WANT TO KEEP IT THAT WAY. AND IN RESPONSE, THE DISTRICT DID SEND A STATEMENT TO NEWS EIGHT SAYING, QUOTE, ITS GOAL IS TO PROVIDE A FAIR AND EQUITABLE CONTRACT FOR ITS STAFF WHILE BALANCING THE DISTRICT’S NEEDS. NOW, THERE WASN’T ANY SORT OF VOTE TONIGHT. HOWEVER, THE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT DID SAY THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE SOME SORT OF MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT, AND IF AN AGREEMENT IS NOT REACHED BY THAT TIME, THEY SAY THAT THEY ARE PREPARING TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF STRIKING. REPORTING LIVE H
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Hempfield School District teachers urge board to make contract deal
Teachers in the Hempfield School District in Lancaster County are working without a contract.They, along with community members, attended a school board meeting on Tuesday to urge members to reach an agreement with the Hempfield Education Association.It has been 100 days since the previous contract expired."Our teachers are fed up. We're tired of this. Hempfield has traditionally always had a very good contract in this area, and I feel like that's under attack," HEA President Tony Jannotta said.Jannotta, who is a social studies teacher, described what it's like for teachers to work without a deal."The morale is significantly lower. There's a lack of trust. We feel like there's a lack of support by the administration and the board. Overall, it just brings everybody down," he said. "I think a lot of the public opinion of teaching sometimes is we have summers off or we are done at 2:50 in the afternoon. There are plenty of us that take a tremendous amount of work home." Among the things the teachers are asking for are salary increases, enhanced working conditions and improvements to the student learning environment."It's important for folks not only contractually to know what they can be paid but for morale and recognizing that their employer and community value them," parent Kait Linton said.Linton said she came to the meeting to support the teachers because she wants the district to not only recruit but retain good educators."To continue to have Hempfield be a district where student teachers and folks who are graduating or coming in, moving into the area want to teach. We've been historically known for having a great district, and we want to keep it that way," Linton said.In response, the district said its goal is "to provide a fair and equitable contract for its staff while balancing the district's needs."Janotta said there will be a meeting of some sort on Wednesday.If an agreement can't be reached, the HEA may begin the process of authorizing a strike.
SALUNGA-LANDISVILLE, Pa. —
Teachers in the Hempfield School District in Lancaster County are working without a contract.
They, along with community members, attended a school board meeting on Tuesday to urge members to reach an agreement with the Hempfield Education Association.
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It has been 100 days since the previous contract expired.
"Our teachers are fed up. We're tired of this. Hempfield has traditionally always had a very good contract in this area, and I feel like that's under attack," HEA President Tony Jannotta said.
Jannotta, who is a social studies teacher, described what it's like for teachers to work without a deal.
"The morale is significantly lower. There's a lack of trust. We feel like there's a lack of support by the administration and the board. Overall, it just brings everybody down," he said. "I think a lot of the public opinion of teaching sometimes is we have summers off or we are done at 2:50 in the afternoon. There are plenty of us that take a tremendous amount of work home."
Among the things the teachers are asking for are salary increases, enhanced working conditions and improvements to the student learning environment.
"It's important for folks not only contractually to know what they can be paid but for morale and recognizing that their employer and community value them," parent Kait Linton said.
Linton said she came to the meeting to support the teachers because she wants the district to not only recruit but retain good educators.
"To continue to have Hempfield be a district where student teachers and folks who are graduating or coming in, moving into the area want to teach. We've been historically known for having a great district, and we want to keep it that way," Linton said.
In response, the district said its goal is "to provide a fair and equitable contract for its staff while balancing the district's needs."
Janotta said there will be a meeting of some sort on Wednesday.
If an agreement can't be reached, the HEA may begin the process of authorizing a strike.
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