The HTA worked tirelessly until 11pm on Wednesday to try to reach a settlement. There was no movement.
Thank you to over three hundred members who joined us at Thursday night's protest in front of the Herricks Community Center. Many members' brought children, spouses, friends and even pets. Colleagues continued to exercise their legal rights to protest our teachers working under an expired contract. News 12 covered this event and has been airing a clip since last night.
The Board attempted to keep us from entering the building and attending the open public Board meeting by stating they would arrest us if we all did so. We stood in unison and pushed back.
About sixty of our members, many who are residents, respectfully entered the building and attended the board meeting. The loud chants and protests by the hundreds of colleagues who remained on Herricks Road were heard loudly throughout the meeting. At the meeting a parent questioned the Board about the discord with the HTA. After I made a statement, we then stood in unison and respectfully left the building. Our chants and protests became louder when we reached our colleagues who were standing on Herricks Road.
Once again the Board's positions are an affront to the professionalism of our dedicated teachers who work tirelessly to achieve high caliber results that are nationally recognized. We cannot understand their insist to continue to DEVALUE, DEMORALIZE and DISRESPECT our members.
Our fortitude, commitment and professionalism to stand in unison with familes, friends and colleagues spoke volumes.
Stand Strong, Stand United!