Kids in Bethel Park, Pa., are waiting out a teachers strike that began Oct. 25, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. And for working parents, the unplanned cancellations are making it tough to keep kids occupied.
Students could be out of school until Dec. 5—the last day before the school district fails to meet its obligation of 180 days of instruction for the year.
But what are students doing in the meantime?
The local library is offering a “strike schedule,” with events like watching “Kung Fu Panda,” reports the Post-Gazette. Some parents are bringing laptops to the basketball court while their kids play.
And a group of parents organized a Halloween parade and party, which 300 kids attended, according to Sherri Allsopp, co-president of the Parent Teacher Organization at Benjamin Franklin Elementary School.
Frustration among parents is growing, Allsopp told the paper—and “‘Bethel Park teacher on strike’ was a popular Halloween costume in the municipality last weekend.”
Teacher contract negotiations are scheduled for tomorrow, Nov. 5.
UPDATE: To make sure they graduate on time, high school seniors will return to school Monday, Nov. 8, with district administrators teaching classes, says the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The paper also reports that salary, health care contributions, and contract language are among the issues teachers are disputing.