ABC Unified’s Teachers Strike

I must take issue with Anthony Herrera’s letter of Nov. 14 (Teachers Outside the ABC Unified Strike). I found that The Times’ coverage throughout the dispute was quite evenhanded. In fact, if any “sympathetic leaning” was shown it was probably to non-striking teachers and insensitive administrators.

Mr. Herrera surely could not have read the “Hard Lessons” article of Oct. 28 where we follow the anguished soul-searching and ruminating of non-striking teacher “Mr. Z” (Ron Ziolkowski.) He seriously wants us to believe that dropping his vehicle off at a friend’s house and “slipping into his classroom before the first striker arrived” has nothing to do with being “ashamed to face picketers.” Mr. Z attributes it all to “bitter and brutal” memories of a high school strike that “cast a pall” on his senior year. As far as his contention that it will harm students, he should talk to the many high school students who were proud to support their teachers, felt they learned a valuable civics lesson and will always remember their teachers who practiced what is preached in the high school civics and American history courses.

All of us have painful memories from our past that we must deal with and learn and grow from. As a 23-year teacher, community member and parent of the ABC School District, I was proud to honor the strike called by my bargaining unit, which had far more to do with gaining professional respect than money. I am also proud to have worked hard as a community member and parent to bring about a change in the ABC School Board majority from one that has demonstrated hostility and arrogance toward its employee groups’ representatives to one that promises a new era of mutual respect and honest negotiations. In response to Mr. Herrera’s contention that “these three board members have undertaken unscrupulous and fiscally irresponsible measures,” they have undertaken NO measures as they have consistently been outvoted by the present board majority! Indeed one of them, Howard Kwon, won’t even take office until Dec. 7. I suggest we wait and give this NEW school board majority a chance to govern before we condemn them. They definitely have the support of the majority of their teachers.

LINDA J. HERNANDEZ Teacher, Furgeson Elementary Cerritos Resident