COLUMBUS, Ohio — Forty-seven thousand Columbus City Schools students are set to return to class next week, but it’s unclear if union teachers will be in classrooms to greet them.
What You Need To Know
- Forty-seven thousand Columbus City Schools students are set to return to class next week
- Teachers with the Columbus Education Association held a picket ahead of the district’s school board meeting Tuesday evening
- The teachers held signs saying they were practicing for a potential strike
- The Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority is partnering with CVS to lead the project
Teachers with the Columbus Education Association held a picket ahead of the district’s school board meeting Tuesday evening.
The teachers held signs saying they were practicing for a potential strike.
Earlier, the union and the Columbus Board of Education resumed contract talks with a federal mediator.
After the negotiation session, both sides released statements.
The teachers’ union said it had come to an agreement with the board on two issues, but they are far apart on others.
“The good news is that the board did provide us some proposals for the first time since they walked away from the table on July 28,” a man said in a video posted to the CEA Facebook page.
A woman in the video said, “We’ve seen plenty of presentations and press conferences. Now we need action. Our students deserve it.”
The school board also released a statement.
“CEA filed a notice of intent to strike without telling the board what it would take to reach an agreement,” the statement said. “Today, less than a week before our teachers are set to return, CEA continues to refuse to negotiate about compensation, which precludes us from getting our students back in their classrooms.”
The board president said they are hopeful the two sides can still come to a resolution.
As it stands, if the teachers go on strike, students will start the school year remotely, with substitute teachers providing instruction.
Contract talks are scheduled to continue Thursday.
