Local News in Brief : More Teachers Fast in Contract Protest
One teacher’s fast to protest stalled contract negotiations in the Los Angeles Unified School District has spread to Sylmar, where 22 teachers at Herrick Elementary School have pledged to go without food Monday.
Inspiration for the fast is Annya Bell, a first-grade teacher at 42nd Street School who began fasting Wednesday in order to show her frustration over prolonged contract talks.
“We figure if she can do it long term, we can do it for one day,” said Jane Gebers, a resource specialist teacher at Herrick. “We’re just tired of not having a contract.”
She said the teachers would confine their caloric intake to juices, water and coffee. Gebers said three of the school’s 25 teachers declined to participate--one who is pregnant, one who is ill and a third for personal reasons.
The district’s 32,000 teachers have been without a contract since June. They are seeking a one-year, 12% pay hike and elimination of non-teaching supervisory duties. The school board is offering a 17% pay increase over three years.
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