Half of Orange Teachers Stay Out a 2nd Day
More than half the 1,100 teachers in the Orange Unified School District took their strike into its second day Friday, as substitutes and even parents manned classrooms.
About a quarter of the sprawling district’s 24,500 students also stayed out of class. The strike was called Thursday morning, a few hours after negotiations between union and district officials collapsed.
“I think it’s an interesting comment on the frustration level--not to plan a strike and within four hours generate one like we did yesterday,” said Cliff Cole, a counselor at El Modena High School who was one of about 60 teachers walking the picket line.
Orange teachers are demanding a 3.5% raise for this school year and a 6.3% raise next year. In addition, the teachers want a guarantee that the district will continue to pay all costs of health and welfare benefits. District officials have offered a 2.54% raise for the current year and a 3.76% raise for next year.
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