Parents plan another peaceful rally

From an article in today's Courier Times . . .

With the next negotiation session between the Neshaminy school board and the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers not scheduled until December, one parent says residents' attention has started to stray from the situation.

"It's gotten quiet," said parent Michele Fay. "We weren't hearing much from either side."

To get the spotlight back on the labor dispute, Fay and parent Susan Koch have organized what they're calling a "Peaceful Parent Protest."

The gathering is set for noon Nov. 13 across the street from the NFT offices on Woodbourne Road outside the old Eisenhower Elementary School building.

A Sept. 23 protest organized by Fay and Koch drew nearly 100 parents and other residents who said they are fed up with the dispute - especially the work-to-contract directive from the NFT. That directive has union members limiting work strictly to what they're paid for, with no outside activities.

"I hope we'll have an even bigger turnout this time," Fay said. "The goal is to motivate the teachers who are saying they understand the frustration and admit that they should be paying for some of their health care to stand up to NFT officials and say 'enough is enough.' "

You can read the entire article by clicking here.

Also in the newspaper are a couple of letters from residents voicing their displeasure with the NFT and its Work to Contract action. The first letter entitled Union Arrogance is brief and to the point, while the second letter, 'Work to contract': Teachers' only interest - self, is a poignant and powerful opinion from a recent Neshaminy graduate.