STRONGSVILLE, Ohio – The students of Strongsville are in the middle of a semester trying to learn and move on to the next grade.

But union collective bargaining is once again interfering with the education process.

The Strongsville Education Association, the district’s teachers union, is days away from going on strike after working without a new collective bargaining agreement since last year.

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But the teachers are doing more than just threatening to walk out on students. They have lowered themselves to picketing in front of the homes of school board members, who are little more thanvolunteers trying to serve the children of their community.

Many citizens vented their disgust over the union tactic on a news site.

“The teachers’ behavior, especially protesting at the homes of board members, is beyond ridiculous,” one citizen wrote. “Completely unprofessional and not the way to show kids how to behave. Even if they do come to an agreement on the contract, it will only appease (the union) for another 2-3 years and they will be right back to protesting again.

“I’m so tired of this nonsense.”

The union is also insisting on keeping the public in the dark about contract negotiations. Last week the school board offered to publicly post its final offer to the union on a web site, if the teachers union would do the same with its final proposal, according to Strongsville Patch.

The union has not responded to the challenge.

Public remains in the dark

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The union ramped up its aggressive behavior last week by presenting the board with a formal 10-day strike notice, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Teachers will not report to work beginning March 4 if no contract agreement is reached.

The school board reacted by announcing that the district will remain open in the event of a strike with a full staff of substitute teachers.

The two sides reportedly met for more than four hours Monda  night with no settlement. Teachers have been packing up personal items and preparing to leave their classrooms, according to media reports.

“We have started the process to make a smooth and orderly transition to a substitute teaching team,” Superintendent John Krupinski said.

Union leaders recently held a recent press conference to announce that members had approved a resolution indicating “no confidence” in the school board.

Union leaders accused board members of “trying to balance their books on the backs of staff.”

How is a cash-strapped school district supposed to balance its budget without holding the line on salaries and benefits for teachers? Union labor costs typically take up about 75 percent of a school district’s general fund budget.

There is little information available about the two sides’ positions.

According to one news report, the teachers “want a raise, better working conditions and they want to fight reductions in music, art and physical education for elementary schools.”

Krupinski said the school board has presented the union with a contract offer that “reflected the economic realities of these difficult fiscal times.”

All of this clearly leaves the tax-paying public in a state of confusion. With all of the finger-pointing and accusations, but  few facts available, which side are they supposed to believe?

School board President David Frazee tried to pull the drapes back from negotiations by offering to post the board’s final offer online if the union would post its list of demands.

That way citizens could decide for themselves who’s right and who’s wrong, based on hard financial facts instead of the type of empty emotional appeals that unions frequently make to the uninformed public.

“To make it a level playing field, I think the teachers proposal should be presented publicly, the board’s proposal should be presented publicly,” Frazee said. “That way we can actually see what we’re all talking about here.”

Union leaders reportedly responded by giving its members copies of the final offers, which is a step in the right direction. Rank-and-file teachers are frequently left in the dark about contract negotiations, just like the public.

But there was no indication the union was willing to post its demands for public inspection.

One union official reportedly argued that it would be illegal for the two sides to negotiate in public. But a school board member said it’s perfectly legal if both sides agree.

Of course, the board could give taxpayers some indication of where contract talks stand by posting the districts most recent offer online, regarldess of whether the union does the same. At least board members could honestly say they did their best to keep the people informed.

Creepy and classless picketing

The low point came Monday when teachers protested outside the homes of several school board members, according to the Strongsville Patch.

Frazee said he was not home at the time, but his son told him about 25 teaches were on the sidewalk in front of his house carrying candles and chanting “fair contract.”

How creepy and classless.

Board member Carl Naso said about 20 teachers gathered in front of his house for more than an hour, with one holding a sign that looked like a tombstone.

“I don’t know what it said,” Nero told a reporter.

News of the home protests got around town quickly and left many residents shaking their heads in disgust. Many posted their feelings on newspaper websites that have been covering the ongoing story.

“What a great example to show their students,” one citizen wrote. “I know Mr. Naso has a little girl and Mr. Micko (another board member) has four kids. Imagine what those kids must be thinking about this disturbing spectacle. Are they really expecting to garner public support with the behavior exhibited at the board meetings and this type of behavior? They called the strike. The board didn’t lock them out.”

“Since we know the board members, and know where they live, I propose we keep watch for them and help them out, and if this trash shows up again, tail some of the protesters home and then sit outside their house with our brights on, honking our horns to give them a taste of their own medicine,” another citizen wrote.

“These people have families – what is wrong with these teachers?” another person wrote.

That’s a very good question indeed.