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Teachers strike looms for San Mateo, Foster City
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Related Topics: Foster City, Calif.
Foster City, Calif. (Map, News) - The “S” word is being floated around San Mateo and Foster City schools this school year, and teachers are as dismayed as they would be if it was coming from their students’ mouths.
In early October — after reviewing a report due Sept. 28 — the more than 600 teachers represented by the San Mateo Elementary Teachers’ Association could formally strike if a contract agreement has not been reached with the San Mateo-Foster City School District.
“At that point the district can make its last best offer, and we’ll likely be taking a strike vote, and after that we’ll be strike legal,” SMETA President Carole Delgado said. “Looking back on the entire year and looking at how little movement the district has made and the climate, I’m not very optimistic.”
On Sept. 13, SMETA and district representatives will present their cases to a three member state fact-finding panel. Both parties will nominate a member, with the third appointed by the state.
On Sept. 17, the panelists are set to deliberate on the information presented by the two sides, and a nonbinding recommendation is expected on Sept. 28. The report is not a formal decision, and either side can choose to disregard it. Delgado said there is also a chance the two parties could reach an agreement after the initial hearing.
“We hope that the fact-finding panel will help us reach a resolution. We’re looking forward to seeing what the panel can provide us after the session,” said Assistant Superintendent for Student Services Joan Rosas.
In the meantime, Delgado said SMETA representatives at each of the district’s 20 schools are working with the district’s 71 new teachers to bring them into the union. Membership is mandatory for teachers.
Comments from Examiner Readers
6:23 PM MST on Sun., Sep. 30, 2007 re: "San Mateo-Foster City teachers, district reach deal"
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Examiner Reader said:
well just got back from party got my Progress report (good thing my parents werent home) here it is: Health--A+ Ceramis--C+ US History--F Geometry 2 --F Spanish 1--B- English 5--F P e 5-- F wow im raising my grades due to prior knowledge of the Fs. But well good thing my parents werent home.poor them they would be so dissapointed and i dont want that.=( but at least im doing something about it.=) show me your grades!-this is from a (GATE)kid at Capuchino High School in SanBruno.How talented do you have to be?
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