Strike won't shut schools, Little Rock district tells parents

Little Rock School District Superintendent Mike Poore is shown in this file photo.
Little Rock School District Superintendent Mike Poore is shown in this file photo.

Superintendent Mike Poore plans to keep Little Rock public schools open if teachers strike, he told district parents in a letter Friday.

Classes will remain in session, buses will run and meals will be served. Substitute teachers who have completed state-mandated background checks will replace any teachers who do not report to work, and security officers will be present, the letter said.

"We believe having students in school is the best place for them," Poore wrote.

Earlier this month, the Arkansas Board of Education voted to end long-standing recognition of the Little Rock Education Association employee union after Thursday. The board also approved a framework for a plan to move the district from state control to a locally elected board that would have "limited authority as defined by the state board" in November 2020.

As of Friday, whether a strike will take place and what impact it would have was still unknown. The district has 1,984 teachers and about 24,000 students.

"It's like anybody else right now, you can see it on social media ... we're trying to be prepared," Poore said in an interview Friday. "We don't know whether we have enough [temporary workers] or not because we don't know how many teachers would engage in some sort of work stoppage."

In the event of a strike or a "sickout," parents will be notified through automated calls and social media posts from the Little Rock district, according to a frequently asked questions page on the district's website, www.lrsd.org. Regular attendance policies will be applied.

Poore said he was working with the substitute teacher company the district uses to ensure coverage and that doubling up classrooms was possible.

"It depends what employees show up," he said. "All those things are up in the air."

Poore said he knew that the union had discussed a strike but had not taken a vote on it as of midday Friday.

Stephanie Jackson, communications director for Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr., said Thursday that the mayor's office was monitoring the situation and hoped a strike could be avoided.

On social media throughout the day, some district parents expressed concerns about leaving their children in classrooms with substitutes instead of the teachers they trust.

In a written statement Friday evening, Little Rock Education Association President Teresa Knapp Gordon said that students and their educational well-being will be at the center of any action that the union takes, and that the goal of that action will be to ensure "that all kids, regardless of their zip code, have access to a quality public education."

"During the school day, our educators want to be in the classroom. We don't like spending time away from students," Gordon said. "However, we will do what is necessary to ensure that all students receive the one-on-one attention they deserve, inviting classrooms and a well-rounded curriculum. These things are crucial to prepare all kids to succeed in a diverse and interdependent world."

On Wednesday, Gordon created a GoFundMe page to raise money to support union employees in the event of a collective job action. The fund had collected nearly $4,000 by Friday evening; its stated goal is $50,000. Funds will be provided to members based on "demonstrated need," Gordon wrote on the page.

Poore has asked for approval from the state to pay substitute teachers $180 a day in the event of a work stoppage. That's just $9 short of what a first-year teacher with a bachelor's degree earns daily.

The proposed $180 a day is in contrast to the $80 a day now paid a substitute who is a certified teacher.

Thursday and next Friday, which will be the first day without union recognition in the district, are professional development days for teachers and days off for students.

A Section on 10/26/2019

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