Unionized teachers in the Waverly School District are weighing their next move in the wake of Monday’s abruptly ended school board meeting. The teachers are now in their sixth month without a contract.
Union crisis chairperson Gini Larson calls the board’s sudden exit “dismissive,” though board members say they legally called a motion to adjourn. The union is fighting for set class sizes, a less arduous advancement scale and changes to teacher insurance contributions. Larson says she believes the community itself will advance the teachers’ cause.
“We’re going to do what we need to do here in the classroom,” says Larson. “We’re going to move forward, and we’re ready to come to the table with any proposals the district wants to give us. But we do need to move it forward.”
Larson says teachers are awaiting word from a fact-finding body tasked with reviewing both sides of the dispute.