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Friday, February 01, 2008

Newspaper: Respect a one-way street for striking teachers

Talks have broken down between the Downingtown School District in Chester County and the union representing the district's 850 teachers, which means the strike will enter a second week.

The district has offered the teachers pay raises of 4.4, 4.5, 4.5 and 4.6 percent over the next four years, which amounts to an average annual increase of 4.5 percent.

But the teachers say the pay hikes are insulting and show a total lack of respect for the teachers.

The West Chester Daily Local News weighs in today on the impasse on its editorial page.

"We believe the district's offer is more than fair," the newspaper says. "We believe it shows great respect for the teachers, which is more than we can say for how the union is respecting every parent and taxpayer in Downingtown Area. But none of this matters. The union is walking the picket line today. How's that for some respect."

The newspaper has also published a letter from state Sen. Robert Mellow, the Democratic leader, touting his legislation to ban teacher strikes in Pennsylvania.

To learn more about why Pennsylvania is the teacher strike capital of the United States, go to Stop Teacher Strikes in Pennsylvania.

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