City Officials Seek to Support Students; SEA Criticizes Quality of Education: Teachers Strike Week 6

Strongsville City Council has called a special meeting for Tuesday, April 9 to consider a resolution of support for Strongsville students during the ongoing teachers' strike.

The measure calls the strike "a crippling and divisive work stoppage" that has "irreparably harmed and continues to harm the students of the district by impacting on their ability to receive a quality education."

It notes that Mayor Tom Perciak and City Council members have no legal authority to intervene, and "take no sides in the controversy other than to fully support the students."

Council will meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday to act on the resolution.

Last week, a number of students and some parents spoke at the City Council meeting, lamenting that without their regular teachers in the classroom, their learning has suffered.

The resolution, which carries no legal weight, says the mayor and council "express their strong support" for the students and are committed to a quick end to the strike.

Strongsville teachers have been on strike since March 4.

Union Criticizes Quality of Education

The Strongsville Education Association says that delaying grades for students "seems to be a ready admittance" that they are not receiving a quality education.

"The district has all but come out and said that no real learning is taking place and that substitutes are unqualified to assign and assess student work. This has been going on now for five weeks," SEA President Tracy Linscott said in a news release. "Our kids deserve more. They can’t keep doing without.” 

Last week, Superintendent John Krupinski announced that report cards would be delayed a week and that high school students would receive a temporary incomplete to make sure the grades they receive are accurate.

“We can’t continue to ignore the mounting evidence, some of it coming from the Board itself, that students are being denied real opportunities for learning. Our kids need the whole community to be invested in their education,” Linscott said.

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How Much is Teachers' Strike Costing Police Department?

Union Says Strongsville Teachers' Salaries Aren't Out of Line

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Teachers' Union Criticizes Cost of Keeping Schools Open

For other stories on the teachers' strike, click here.

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