Teachers Stage Sick-Out at 3rd School in 3 Weeks

Compton High School on Monday became the third school in the city in three weeks to be hit by a massive teacher absence to protest the lack of a contract.

Forty-seven of the 68 teachers assigned to the high school called in sick, forcing the district to use substitute teachers and administrative staff to handle classes, said Elisa L. Sanchez, acting superintendent of the Compton Unified School District.

Wiley Jones, executive director of the teachers union, placed the number of absent at 50 teachers and nine other staff members such as librarians and counselors. The Compton Education Assn., which represents the district’s approximately 1,085 teachers, has insisted that it did not sanction any of the work actions.

“I think what they’re doing is saying that if the district doesn’t want to come through contractually we’re going to take some action on our own,” Jones said of the teachers.