Local

Negotiations continue after first day of teachers’ strike in Brookline

BROOKLINE, Mass. — Brookline Public Schools could be closed once again Tuesday if the teachers union doesn’t reach a deal with the Brookline School Committee.

Both sides started negotiations again Monday night at 5 p.m., and no agreement has been announced yet.

“We will not go back until we have a contract because we have been sick of being told, we don’t have time,” said Jessica Wender-Shubow, president of Brookline Educators Union.

About one thousand teachers picketed outside the schools Monday – forcing the district to close all schools for the day.

“I came to Brookline because it was a school district that historically paid well for teachers and allow them to live a solid middle class lifestyle, and over the last three years we haven’t had a cost of living increase in our salaries, and it’s made it harder and harder to survive,” said Zac Broken Rope, an English teacher at Brookline High School.

Teachers say it’s been three years since they’ve had a contract.

They’re fighting for better pay, more diversity in their staff, and more prep time.

“That involves anything from more time to get work done, more time to be with students, obviously with inflation, we’re talking about cost of living increases and we’ve been met with really stonewalling tactics,” said Eric Schiff, a guidance counselor and negotiations chair for the BEU.

The Brookline School Committee released the following statement Monday:

The Brookline School Committee is profoundly saddened by the closure of Brookline Public Schools today, Monday May 16, due to the strike by the Brookline Educators Union (BEU).  As always, our primary concern is the impact on Brookline students and their caregivers.  We are seeing and hearing of children’s anxiety about this situation, magnified by memories of what they face during extended pandemic school closures.  Our most vulnerable learners, including students in special education and those with disabilities, are disproportionately impacted by school closures; for some food-insecure students, school is where they receive their only meals.  Caregivers are having to make emergency preparations for childcare. We are working to address all community concerns in real time as much as possible.

At our state mediation session last evening, we asked the BEU not to strike and they refused.  We again call on the BEU to cease and desist all strike activity so that we can focus our joint efforts on bargaining toward successful resolution.  Brookline students must not be the victims of this situation any longer than they already have.

“What I would say to families and our students is we are striking for you because somebody’s got to defend the quality of schools,” said Wender-Shubow.

The school committee chair says MCAS testing that’s supposed to start Tuesday may have to be postponed if they can’t agree on a contract Monday night.

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