It’s February break in Massachusetts but in Newton, class is still in session this week.
Newton school officials decided to cancel February vacation to make up time from last month’s teacher strike, throwing a wrench in a lot of people’s travel plans. All told, students missed 11 school days while teachers spent 15 days on the picket line before the union and the city finally came to an agreement.
The school committee decided that students who miss class this week will not be penalized, but teachers and staff are required to be in school unless they are sick or have an exceptional circumstance.
The district is also putting parents on notice that there could be delays this week, since many of the regular school bus drivers had the week off and their substitutes might be unfamiliar with the routes.
They’re now facing legal troubles, including a class action lawsuit alleging that the lives of 12,000 students and their parents were thrown into “chaos” because of the strike, but the Massachusetts Teachers Association said the strike was necessary.
“This only happens when we have a school committee or a mayor who are particularly stonewalling in their negotiations and unwilling to address the issues that educators have brought up,” said Max Page, Massachusetts Teachers Association.
It’s illegal for teachers to strike in Massachusetts, but there’s a bill pending on Beacon Hill to change that.
