Proviso Township High School District 209 strike continues after board booed, heckled at meeting

The varsity board and its president, Rodney Alexander, have been booed and heckled, after lecturers have been on strike for greater than per week.

College students have missed eight days of college, and, after Tuesday evening’s assembly, it appears there isn’t any finish in sight.

The board didn’t take any questions, however held public remark, which lasted for greater than two hours.

Folks shouted, chanted and booed the board as a lecturers’ strike within the west suburban district stretches on.

Proviso D209 lessons canceled by means of Thursday as lecturers strike continues

Board members criticized district superintendent James Henderson, who appeared to lose his mood on the assembly final evening.

“Our college students are out of college, our lecturers deserve a greater contract and he isn’t doing all the pieces in his energy to get children again in our college,” stated board member Claudia Medina. “The superintendent confronted me with violence after I requested for his calendar. It’s a violation of his contract, it’s a violation of college coverage, and I’m calling on different faculty board members to get him to resign or to fireplace him.”

The lecturers have been working and not using a contract since June 2021. The negotiations within the Proviso Township Excessive Faculty District have been slowed down over points together with pay will increase and sophistication sizes.

The district stated it has elevated its wage proposal supply from 7% over three years to 9%, however stated the lecturers at Proviso East in Maywood, Proviso West in Hillside and Proviso Math and Science Academy in Forest Park are demanding a 12.75% improve.

Class measurement for 4,200 college students can be a bone of content material as, it seems, is respect.

“Now we have to work for 4 years to show ourselves to tenured, and you do not even wanna give us three years and 1.25% that is not quite a bit,” stated Angda Goel, English instructor.

“Understanding that the superintendent and the president of the Board of Schooling needs to be position fashions for our college students, I simply need to say what I noticed was the exact opposite,” stated pupil Jake Voegtle.

Proviso Faculty District 209 lecturers go on strike

Medina stated the administration is paying directors inflated salaries out of Title I funds supposed for pupil instruction.

“Twenty % of the workers leaves yearly. That’s turnover that hurts our district, hurts these children. We’re right here for the youngsters,” stated historical past instructor Steve Rauch.

“I name for Superintendent Henderson to resign from his place so we are able to have someone who really listens to the scholars listens to the lecturers,” stated senior Jose Carbajal.

The subsequent mediation session is ready for Thursday, however casual negotiations proceed, district officers stated.

The Related Press contributed to this report.