Due to state law requirements from Act 88, which permits public school strikes, teachers in the East Allegheny School District will have to return to work tomorrow. The strike lasted 16 school days. What does this mean for the 2014-15 school year? The calendar will likely stretch farther into June or holiday breaks may be lost. The calendar that is posted on the District’s website as of today shows Veterans’ Day, a two-day Thanksgiving break, three day Christmas break, one day for New Year’s, Martin Luther King Day, and Memorial Day as no school days with no spring break and no teacher work/in-service days noted. That would keep things on schedule for a June graduation, the date of which is not noted on the calendar but appears to be June 6th following a baccalaureate ceremony.
The strike wasn’t the longest in Allegheny County’s recent history (since 1997) with strikes in Bethel Park (30 days in 2010-11), Riverview (21 days in 2002-03) and Highlands (21 days in 1999-00) lasting longer.
The board is to be commended for not caving in to demands and defending taxpayers from further tax increases that would likely have to be repeated in future years to fund more lucrative compensation packages. The District, like other districts, is facing huge pension increases over the next several years and with little growth in tax base it is impossible to continue boosting pay packages until there is some relief from the pension demands.
One silver lining from the strike? The teachers decided they would not hold up picket signs at football games and events. How considerate of them.
