Superintendents warn of classes during vacation, weekends as North Shore teacher strikes drag on

BEVERLY, Mass. — Superintendents are now warning of classes during school vacations and on weekends as teacher strikes on the North Shore of Massachusetts continue to drag on without a resolution.

Gloucester, Beverly, and Marblehead informed parents on Wednesday night that classes would again be canceled for students on Thursday. For Gloucester and Beverly students, this is the ninth school day they will have missed. In Marblehead, it’s the eighth.

For Gloucester students, Thursday’s canceled day will be made up during February or April vacation, according to Superintendent Ben Lummis.

“In all my years in public education I never imagined that I would see a situation like this that would impact our students in such a serious way,” Lummis said. “I am so sorry for our children. I am so sorry for our families. You all deserve so much better than this.”

Rachel Salvo Rex, co-president of the Union of Gloucester Educators, said teachers won’t return to school until paraprofessionals are given a pay bump.

“Our union will not ratify a contract without living wages for our paraprofessionals – we will not go back to school until our lowest paid para makes $33,000. Who has a problem with that?” said Rachel Salvo Rex, co-president of the Union of Gloucester Educators.

The Beverly School Committee expressed “deep concern” with the state of negotiations late Wednesday night.

“A lot of words are being tossed around our community in these challenging times, a lot of harmful words,” President of the Beverly School Committee Rachael O. Abell said. “We have worked hard not to add to that, not to inflame that, not to use rhetoric which hurts but, rather, to use rhetoric which tries to bring us together.”

Like Lummis, Beverly Superintendent Sue Charochak warned of classes on vacation, as well as weekends.

“The District will be forced to hold classes during vacation, weekends, or other non-school time in order to meet the state-mandated 180 days of learning,” Charochak stated in a letter sent home to parents.

Charochak did not specify which specific days would hold classes.

It is unclear if Marblehead schools will follow suit after Wednesday night’s announcement.

All three striking school districts are demanding better wages for teachers and paraprofessionals. As negotiations continue, all three teachers’ unions are facing hefty fines.

“They’ve given us the same wage proposal four times now, it’s just disrespectful, we’ve lowered what we’ve asked for several times and they just keep giving us the same thing, it’s like a slap in the face,” said Janelle Jackson, a paraprofessional in Gloucester.

The Marblehead School Committee announced late Wednesday night they filed a petition with the Massachusetts Department of Labor Relations for a strike investigation against four individuals who are striking members of the MEA.

“This strike, coordinated among three North Shore communities by the state teacher’s union, has gone on long enough,” the school committee said in a joint statement. “We need to get our teachers and students back in the classroom. We remain open to reasonable compromise and will stay at the bargaining table until we reach an agreement.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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