9 missed days of school taking a toll on Newton students as teachers strike drags on
NEWTON - Schools will be closed in Newton for a ninth day on Wednesday as the teacher strike continues.
Now the pressure is on for both sides to get a deal. Yet, in the middle of the noise and the drama and tension, it's the children of Newton being impacted after spending nine days out of the classroom with the teacher strike reaching a breaking point.
They're dealing with learning loss, disrupted routines, and major uncertainty.
"It's been a lot," said 4th grader Parker Sherwin. "Wondering, what's going to happen tomorrow, waiting for the Newton Public Schools to call and say nope, there's no school or yes there's school."
Third grade students like Dante Fazio have been spending his days at the John M. Barry Boys & Girls Club. But school is his heart.
"I miss my friends, I miss school," said Dante. "I'm actually having a fun time at the club, but I actually want school to be back."
To try and make that happen, the school committee says it offered the union a proposal that includes raises for all teachers and aides, 12 weeks of paid parental leave and adding social workers at elementary schools.
For example, school leaders said in 2027, relative to today:
• A teacher member making $62,116 today will make $81,599
• A teacher member making $91,251 today will make $121,299
• A teacher member making $120,172 today will make $135,277
• A paraprofessional making $22.81/hr today will make $32.20/hr
• A paraprofessional making $45.15/hr today will make $51.20/hr
"It makes me question what the strike is really about, is it about Newton's kids and teachers? Is it about money? Or is it about some other bigger agenda one where our kids are being used as pawns," said School Committee Chair Chris Brezski.
But Newton Teachers Association leaders say the gap between what they want, and the offer is still too far apart.
According to a judge's order, the NTA has been fined $525,000 for the illegal strike and faces $50,000 each day the strike continues.
"We really, really empathize with the disruption that this is causing, and we want nothing more than to be back in the classroom with our kids," said NTA Teacher Ryan Normandin.
In a last-ditch effort, Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller met with the union for the first time Tuesday night. "This is a last resort," said Mayor Fuller. "We have such a meaningful offer on the table."
Fuller said NTA President Mike Zilles was at the meeting Tuesday night. Fuller said she expects to receive a new proposal from the NTA at noon on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the community is growing increasingly frustrated. A second family filed an emergency motion asking a judge to end the strike.
City leaders put pressure on the strike to end. "Our children are suffering because they are not in school," said Newton City Council President Marc Laredo. "And I want to be very clear about it, our children are suffering because they are not in school."
And the kids are just hanging in there waiting.
"I just want the teachers and Mayor Fuller and the school committee to just agree on something for now so the kids can go back to school," said 6th grader Gabriel Das.