Fresno Unified leaders: Come back to the bargaining table

In the past weeks, there has been widespread concern about the possibility of a teacher strike in Fresno Unified School District. District leaders have made great efforts to prepare for this unsettling contingency. There’s been much wringing of hands about the deleterious effects that such a work action might have on the quality of K-12 education in our community.

In fact, however, we’ve all been suffering under the effects of a work stoppage for months now.

By refusing to negotiate in good faith with the Fresno Teachers Association, the district leadership has in effect gone on strike – consciously neglecting to perform an important part of its job. Its work stoppage – which is still ongoing – has cast long shadows across Fresno Unified’s sites and the community as a whole, and it has indeed already negatively impacted the educational opportunities for K-12 students.

It’s time for the district leaders to end their strike, come back to the negotiating table, and make an honest effort to reach reasonable compromises with the teachers’ union. This could happen now, without further delays, and that would be preferable to waiting until a fact-finding report appears in mid-January.

This story was originally published December 25, 2017 at 11:48 AM with the headline "Fresno Unified leaders: Come back to the bargaining table."