Attorneys for the Newton School Committee are asking a judge to increase fines against the Newton Teachers Association as its members continue to strike and the city considers ways to make up the two weeks of school days missed.Students in Newton, one of the largest cities in Massachusetts, missed a 10th day of class Thursday as a teacher strike that began on Jan. 19 continued to drag out.The school committee wants fines doubled each day the union falls to end the strike, saying it is causing “irreparable harm” to the district’s students. A Middlesex Superior Court judge will hold a hearing at 3 p.m. Friday to consider the fines.Meanwhile, in a memo to parents, the Newton School Committee said it has scheduled a 6 p.m. meeting to discuss how the missed school days will be made up. The memo included Newton Superintendent Anna Nolin’s proposed amendments to the school calendar should the strike continue or snow days are needed.They include, in order:Attending school until June 28.Utilizing April 16-19, which is part of the spring school vacation week.Using a rotation of weekend days until all days are made up.Nolin said she would not recommend using time from the planned February break as families will not have time to adjust schedules for students to attend school. “The educators knew all along that we would have to sacrifice days, that we would have to sacrifice the school calendar,” said Ana Tellado, of the Newton Teachers Association. The school committee will consider Nolin’s proposal and listen to feedback from parents before discussing the options. No decision will be made until the strike is over, the committee said.State law requires public school students to attend 180 days of school, and all school-year attendance requirements must be completed by June 30.As union members returned to the picket line Thursday, a teacher who was among a group picketing outside the Newton Education Center was struck by a vehicle driven by another teacher on Walnut Street, police said. The person was taken to a hospital to be treated for minor injuries. The Newton Teachers Association and Newton School Committee were roughly $15 million apart when the two sides ended Wednesday’s negotiations.Under the latest proposal from the School Committee, pay for teachers would raise 12% over a four-year contract, and pay for teachers’ aides would increase 15% during that time.The teachers’ union is calling upon Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller to find more money from the city budget.”In a meeting this evening, the School Committee reiterated their position. They do not have enough money to settle this contract. We agree,” said Ryan Normandin, a Newton South High School teacher who is a member of the NTA’s negotiating team.”I can’t allocate a magical pot of money that doesn’t exist,” Fuller said.Fuller joined in the negotiations for the first time Tuesday night in hopes of bridging the divide, but she said “it didn’t move the needle.””If I can be there and move the needle, I will be,” the mayor said.After two weeks of bargaining, Newton School Committee chair Chris Brezski broke down while addressing the media Wednesday night.”My kids aren’t going to school again. This has gone too far,” Brezski said while fighting back tears.The teachers’ strike is weighing on other Newton families, as a group of parents and their children held a news conference Wednesday night to call for an end to the strike.A dueling rally with the striking teachers got heated at times, and Newton police were called to intervene. “I miss my teachers, and I miss my friends. I don’t understand why they are breaking the law,” said third-grade student Chloe Goldberg.It is illegal for teachers to strike in Massachusetts, but educators in five communities have hit the picket line for at least one day since May 2022: Brookline, Malden, Haverhill, Woburn and Andover. Newton Public Schools had the largest enrollment of those school districts, with nearly 12,000 students. Earlier Wednesday, National Education Association president Becky Pringle joined Newton teachers on the picket line and told them they have the full support of the largest labor union in the United States. The Newton Teachers Association has faced court-imposed fines totaling $525,000 for the strike so far. A judge ruled that additional fees of $50,000 per day will be tacked on for each day the strike continues, so the union is facing $575,000 in fines.”The fines for us are not going to impact whether or not we return to the classroom,” Normandin said.Pringle stopped short of saying whether the NEA would help pay for the NTA’s court-imposed fines.
Attorneys for the Newton School Committee are asking a judge to increase fines against the Newton Teachers Association as its members continue to strike and the city considers ways to make up the two weeks of school days missed.
Students in Newton, one of the largest cities in Massachusetts, missed a 10th day of class Thursday as a teacher strike that began on Jan. 19 continued to drag out.
The school committee wants fines doubled each day the union falls to end the strike, saying it is causing “irreparable harm” to the district’s students. A Middlesex Superior Court judge will hold a hearing at 3 p.m. Friday to consider the fines.
Meanwhile, in a memo to parents, the Newton School Committee said it has scheduled a 6 p.m. meeting to discuss how the missed school days will be made up. The memo included Newton Superintendent Anna Nolin’s proposed amendments to the school calendar should the strike continue or snow days are needed.
They include, in order:
- Attending school until June 28.
- Utilizing April 16-19, which is part of the spring school vacation week.
- Using a rotation of weekend days until all days are made up.
Nolin said she would not recommend using time from the planned February break as families will not have time to adjust schedules for students to attend school.
“The educators knew all along that we would have to sacrifice days, that we would have to sacrifice the school calendar,” said Ana Tellado, of the Newton Teachers Association.
The school committee will consider Nolin’s proposal and listen to feedback from parents before discussing the options. No decision will be made until the strike is over, the committee said.
State law requires public school students to attend 180 days of school, and all school-year attendance requirements must be completed by June 30.
As union members returned to the picket line Thursday, a teacher who was among a group picketing outside the Newton Education Center was struck by a vehicle driven by another teacher on Walnut Street, police said. The person was taken to a hospital to be treated for minor injuries.
The Newton Teachers Association and Newton School Committee were roughly $15 million apart when the two sides ended Wednesday’s negotiations.
Under the latest proposal from the School Committee, pay for teachers would raise 12% over a four-year contract, and pay for teachers’ aides would increase 15% during that time.
The teachers’ union is calling upon Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller to find more money from the city budget.
“In a meeting this evening, the School Committee reiterated their position. They do not have enough money to settle this contract. We agree,” said Ryan Normandin, a Newton South High School teacher who is a member of the NTA’s negotiating team.
“I can’t allocate a magical pot of money that doesn’t exist,” Fuller said.
Fuller joined in the negotiations for the first time Tuesday night in hopes of bridging the divide, but she said “it didn’t move the needle.”
“If I can be there and move the needle, I will be,” the mayor said.
After two weeks of bargaining, Newton School Committee chair Chris Brezski broke down while addressing the media Wednesday night.
“My kids aren’t going to school again. This has gone too far,” Brezski said while fighting back tears.
The teachers’ strike is weighing on other Newton families, as a group of parents and their children held a news conference Wednesday night to call for an end to the strike.
A dueling rally with the striking teachers got heated at times, and Newton police were called to intervene.
“I miss my teachers, and I miss my friends. I don’t understand why they are breaking the law,” said third-grade student Chloe Goldberg.
It is illegal for teachers to strike in Massachusetts, but educators in five communities have hit the picket line for at least one day since May 2022: Brookline, Malden, Haverhill, Woburn and Andover. Newton Public Schools had the largest enrollment of those school districts, with nearly 12,000 students.
Earlier Wednesday, National Education Association president Becky Pringle joined Newton teachers on the picket line and told them they have the full support of the largest labor union in the United States.
The Newton Teachers Association has faced court-imposed fines totaling $525,000 for the strike so far. A judge ruled that additional fees of $50,000 per day will be tacked on for each day the strike continues, so the union is facing $575,000 in fines.
“The fines for us are not going to impact whether or not we return to the classroom,” Normandin said.
Pringle stopped short of saying whether the NEA would help pay for the NTA’s court-imposed fines.