As contract negotiations continue between the Warwick Teachers Union and the School Committee, with arbitration looming, a group of parents at the Norwood Elementary School have had …
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As contract negotiations continue between the Warwick Teachers Union and the School Committee, with arbitration looming, a group of parents at the Norwood Elementary School have had enough.
Approximately 25 Norwood parents will stand with teachers outside the building at 8:30 a.m. this Friday in a sign of solidarity.
Stephanie Shelton, president of the Norwood PTA and wife of Steve Shelton, a special education teacher at Warwick Veterans High School, said she was approached in the grocery store by a woman with the idea for parents to stand with teachers during one of the mornings before going into school.
“I felt I should rally the troops,” Shelton said during a phone interview on Monday.
Shelton emailed a letter to the editor to the Beacon, in which she mentions the event and calls on parents at other schools to participate and stand with their teachers on Friday.
In the letter, she writes, “The School Committee has made it abundantly clear that it does not want to hear the voice of the parents by limiting or cutting off public comment and not responding to emails.”
Although she is president of the Norwood PTA and many of the parents participating in Friday’s event are members of the PTA, Shelton said the event is not associated with the PTA.
“This is a group of parents that want to show we stand in solidarity with the teachers because we’re partners in educating our children,” Shelton said. “We don’t know all the details with the contract, but we have fantastic teachers that go above and beyond every day at Norwood, no matter what the contract situation is, and we want them and the School Committee to know how much they do. They’re amazing.”
Shelton said parents checked with the teachers before organizing the event.
“They took a vote on it and agreed it would be nice [for us] to stand with them,” she said.
Shelton said 26 parents have said they will show up. Some talked of bringing signs, or wearing blue shirts, as the teachers do. She said initially, the thought was to stand with teachers last Friday but it wouldn’t have been possible on such short notice.
“This is at a time when a lot of parents have to go to work,” Shelton said, adding that many parents also have young children they wanted to bring, however it will just be parents standing with the teachers. “We don’t want it misinterpreted that we’re using kids as an agenda, because that’s not the case.”
When asked if she knew of other schools doing something similar, Shelton said she has seen people sharing what Norwood parents are doing on Facebook but she isn’t aware of any other schools getting involved.
In the letter, Shelton writes, “It is unacceptable that almost halfway through the year there is still no contract. It is demeaning to these professionals that they are not treated with the respect that their position and service deserve.”
5 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here
PaulHuff
These parents will be the first ones to complain when their taxes go up.
Good for the city for not giving away the store.
Tuesday, December 8, 2015 Report this
FedUp
PaulHuff, you are right, I will be complaining when my taxes go up again and funding for education remains the same as it has been for the past 6 years!
For your information, I have no problem paying local taxes that support our community, people I know and services I use.
Education is the best investment we can make in our community and families with children choose communities with good school systems. I am more than happy for my tax dollars to go to the school! In fact, I would prefer that to a new traffic pattern in Apponaug or the bell at city hall!
Tuesday, December 8, 2015 Report this
Justanidiot
When is someone going to stand up for the students?
Wednesday, December 9, 2015 Report this
RonPaul
Teach to the test!!! That's what these teachers have been complaining about for years. Now look at how terrible the Warwick students did on the standardized testing. Warwick was near the bottom of the list. These teachers aren't doing anyone any favor by striking. Send the kids to private school. Teachers get paid less but they actually teach and care about the students. Bet all those parents out there are on welfare and EBT and claim they can't buy Christmas presents but they can go to Dunkin Donuts each day and have a flat screen TV in each room
Wednesday, December 9, 2015 Report this
patientman
Shouldn't the article be titled "Some Norwood parents married to teachers stand in solidarity with the union"?
Wednesday, December 9, 2015 Report this