South Butler teachers hit picket line for first day of strike

After meeting for more than an hour inside the VFW in Saxonburg on Thursday, teachers in the South Butler County School District emerged ready to hit the picket line.

Walking the perimeter of school grounds, teachers held signs and sometimes chanted on the first day of their strike.

“Last night, we gave them an offer through the mediator, and asked them to continue to negotiate with us,” said Brooke Witt of the Pennsylvania School Education Association. “They declined that.

“They issued a final best (offer) and have not continued to engage in the negotiation process with us.”

Three straight days of negotiations went nowhere. In fact, the school board threatened if there wasn’t a deal by Thursday, they would take four years of back pay off the table.

Teachers in the district have been working without a contract since 2014.

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For now, it’s at a stalemate, but teachers say they are feeling the love from the community.

“We’re hoping that the community rallies behind us, understands how dedicated we’ve been to get a contract, and hope that the board comes together hearing what the community has said and give the teachers their respect,” Witt said.

Students are required by state law to spend 180 days in school, and teachers have not said how long they’ll be on the picket line. No negotiations are currently scheduled.

Cox Media Group