Obie blasts absent negotiators
Some 4-J schools reopen today,
will provide 'basic education'
By Jackie Barry
Of Ihr Kmrrild
Plans to reopen all 4-J schools have been
finalized. Superintendent Margaret Nichols an
nounced Tuesday morning at a press conference.
Schools have been closed since 1.200
teachers in the district, members of the Eugene
Education Association, went on strike April H.
I he district said it would need K33 teachers to
provide basic education for the 17,000 students in
the district.
Secondary schools will reopen today with
replacement teachers who began in-service train
ing at the schools Monday. One replacement
teacher who reportedly knocked down a striking
teacher “is no longer with us." Nichols said
Tuesday, noting it would not he fair to sav the
behavior of either side is violent because of {In
actions of one person.
She said tin* safety of returning students is
assured. “I believe absolutely that our teachers,
angry as they are, will not hurt kids This is a
dispute between adults."
Nichols also said elementary-level, self
contained special education classes will resume
Thursday, and all elementary school ( lasses will
resume Friday.
School hours will be shortened for elemen
tary students, Nichols said, and instruction will
include reading, math, language arts and other
activities if there is time.
Some schools have teachers who are on a dif
ferent contract than the striking teachers and are
required to work during the strike such as Patter
son Elementary’s music teacher, according to a
letter sent to that school's parents.
But “it will not be the rich, varied
cur
riculum 4-j students are used to. Nichols said.
Meanwhile, attorneys for both sides and
negotiators attended a labor complaint hearing
before tbe state Employment Relations Hoard in
Salem. The complaint was filed by the 4-J District
against the EEA in an effort to get the strike by
teachers ruled illegal, said David Piercv. an assis
tant to Nichols.
Nichols said very specific laws exist detail
ing mandatory subjects of bargaining over which
a union may strike It the KKB determines the
strike to be illegal, negotiations will have to begin
anew, she said, and another strike would not be
legal until the negotiations process follows the re
quired steps
According to Piercv, the KKB won't rule on
the legality of the strike for .it least a week follow
ing the bearing He said it the strike ends before
this time, the board will not rule.
At a press conterem e Tuesday evening at the
Eugene Hilton. Mayor Brian Obie blasted bargain
ing teams trom both sides lor being in Salem in
stead of continuing negotiations.
"We sit here in emptv rooms, while the par
ties sit in Salem." he said. "Both sides have lost
track of what the goals are
()bie urged parents to join him in escorting
children across pic ket line's when sc bools reopen
todav He said it nothing else, sending c hildren to
sc hool would be a lesson to them in "what poor
communic ation and large* egos c an prodtic c."
State* negotiator (oho Vale, in an interview
with KM I R news I uesdav, said he* has ca needed
othe*r i ommitments so he* c an re*c onvene talks as
soon as possible During the* interview. Vale said
he would bring the* two side's together again,
"even though they're both kicking and
screaming."
Swingin' free
\ot everyone’s spin! was ilampened hv the
teat hers strike I ut‘sdn\ as Don \loslter show s h\ his
thrilling ride over the lunik of the W'illamettt' River.
I he Inn nuiv not List, however. ,is classes resume toilav
with the arrival ot replacement teachers.
Photo by Shtrrlyn Hjork.141 on
Striking teachers express concern over violence
By Alicia Cano
Of the Emerald
Kivu Eugene teachers spoke
out at a Tuesday press con
ference at tht! Iloliday Inn about
Monday’s strike-related
violence at Churchill High
School.
They also discussed what
they perceive to be the unwill
ingness of the Eugene School
Board and Superintendent
Margaret Nichols to negotiate
with t lie Eugene Education
Association.
1 he teachers are concerned
about violent incidents outside
schools Monday between
replacement and striking
teachers but also are concerned
with “what’s going on inside
the schools.’’ said Sam Miller of
(.'olin kelly Middle School. who
initially spoke for tin? group.
1 he quality ot replacement
teachers is a primary concern,
he said.
“If replacements are of the
caliber of the strikebreaker who
knocked down our teacher
yesterday at Churchill, we
worry about the conditions in
Questions arise over quality of replacement curriculum
our
side our schools for
students." Miller said.
Miller was referring to an in
cident in which a striking (:hur
chill teacher was struc k and
knocked to the ground hv a
replacement teacher. The strik
ing teac her allegedly had blown
a whistle into the ear of the
replacement teac her prior to tin*
assault. No charges were filed
in the incident.
"Blowing a whistle* is not
akin to an act of violence," said
Ben Shaver of Sheldon High
School in response to questions
about the incident.
The teachers .it the press con
ference avoided making any
statements about the* potential
for future violence between
strikers and replacement
teachers.
Mary Bauer of Willaken/.ie
Elementary School did say,
however, that the entire 4-J staff
has nothing but ‘‘respect and af
fection for all their students"
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diui would post; no danger to
thorn.
Manor mentioned that thorn
would ho a ono ,inda halt hour
delay between the arrival and
departure of roplacoinont
to.ii hors and students when
s< hools reopened
Shaver believes there is less
(hinder to students from their
own te.u tiers than from replai e
ment teachers who are in a
foreign environment.
In regard to curriculum < on
( erns. Miller said it schools are
reopened as planned, mm h of
the curric tiluin will » onsist ol
lillfi •)( tivities such .is journal
writing reading the neuspapei
•mil playing i n sir in tional
Kiinics.”
I It* added that spin ial educa
lion services, .is in.ind.iled hy
indivicitiaIized edu< ation pro
grains, will have to lie altered.
I urn to le.u fu*rs, P.i^e 9
^Hhhmm... irregular
heartbeat.. .erratic
pulse...fainting spells
.frequent seizures.
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