Striking Newton Teachers 'Hold The Line' As Missed School Days Mount

NEWTON, MA — As the Newton teachers' strike claimed a ninth day of school in what has become the state's longest teacher work stoppage in three decades, the union said 93 percent of its members were on the picket lines Wednesday while the School Committee contemplated how to make up all the missed days of classroom education this academic year.

National Education Association President Becky Pringle was in Newton on Wednesday morning for a rally at the Newton Education Center where the focus was creating a "livable wage" for Unit C — including many special education and behavioral support paraprofessionals — employees.

The Newton Teachers Association said on Wednesday that it rejected the School Committee's recent proposal including some wage hikes and additional parental leave because some of the gains in negotiations were tied to tradeoffs that would be unacceptable to the NTA membership.

(More on Patch:Newton Teachers Strike Extended: Mayor Fuller Joins Negotiations)

Among those cited include increased health care premiums, limitations on sick time banking, longer durations between step service time pay increases, and insufficient substitute teaching support staff.

The School Committee, meanwhile, said that as it continued negotiations on Wednesday aimed at reaching an agreement that will "have students back in the classroom on Thursday," it is also keeping a close eye on the school calendar.

"We know this strike is incredibly difficult for Newton families," the School Committee said in a statement late Wednesday morning. "All of us want what is best for our kids and our staff. As School Committee members, we take our job of representing the best interests of students, staff, and the entire district very seriously.

"We have to remain hopeful that we can settle an agreement with the NTA that allows us to emerge from this moment onto a path of progress for our district."

According to Massachusetts state law, students must be in school for 180 days each school year with a cutoff of June 30.

That means the nine days missed — and possibly more — will have to be made up by the end of the academic year — potentially during vacations or even weekends, if necessary. The strike days do not include the potential of any snow days in February and March should the strike end soon.

Because of Department of Elementary and Secondary Education rules put in place in 2021 to eliminate districts continuing with remote and hybrid education amid the waning COVID-19 pandemic, all school days must be in-classroom days to count toward the 180 total.

The School Committee said the school calendar will be among the discussion items at Thursday's open committee meeting. The School Committee said no public comment will be allowed at that meeting.

Superintendent Anna Nolin said that all school buildings will remain closed with all school-related activities — including athletics, arts and drama programs, after-school programs and community education programs — canceled for the duration of the strike.

Negotiations were set to continue throughout the afternoon on Wednesday with the School Committee saying that it is awaiting a response on its latest proposal.