Eden Prairie High School - Eagle Yearbook (Eden Prairie, MN)

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We've crossed the bridge . . . We're on our way . . .

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Strikell This year was different from all other years for the teachers and the students. For the first year PELRA lPubliC employees relations aCO allowed the teachers to legally strike if there were good reasons to. Though the supervisors and administration cantt legally strike ltheytre to be neutraD they did get the Chance to llclean upl' during the empty time. The teachers were fighting for wages Closer to the Lake Conference schools, and comparable contract language lwelfare, dental care, etol. The EPEA lEden Prairie Education Associationy used such strategies as letters to the editor, articles in the papers, pamphlets, and coffee parties to inform the public of the facts and so anyone could ask questions. Principal Arne Johnson commented, Til think that lstrikingy is something a teacher should have the right to do. Jessica Wiley, an elementary teacher, was the president of the EPEA and assigned jobs to the teachers during the strike. Some teachers walked the picket line, some worked in the crisis center, and others found part time jobs elsewhere until the strike settled. lll organized picket schedules, attended meetings, helped get a list of subs who crossed the picket lines, and went deer huntingft stated Mr. Tom Berger. Students found other things to do also. bl spent a lot of time with my boyfriend, I babysat during the days, and I made more money than the teachers, said Susan lazczak. The Eden Prairie school board hired substitutes for both teaching and coaching. The people interested in the job went through screenings and interviews. There were 60-65 subs hired in the district and 13 of them were for the high school. The subs earned $106 a day. These teachers were on the job for three days and then the strike settled. The first, second, and senior Class went back to school with the subs for those days. lllt's a very uneasy thing. Very, very tense time, said Johnson about hiring subs. To come to an agreement, there had to be lla great deal of movement on both sidesft said teacher negotiator, Paul Schee. Mrs. Nancy Pudas commented, Tl really missed teaching, but I understand why l was out there. I also think that it brought the staff Closer to each other. Some programs may have to be cut because of the strike. The athletics may Hiding from the cold, Nancy Pudas and Vern McIntyre cover up. 1h - Strike have to Charge a fee or drop the sport all together. The personnel may be reduced and also the variety of programs offered will be shortened. If there are any lay-offs, they probably would be the people running the programs that are cut and the seniority rule of last person hired is the first person cut. The teachers would have liked to have more of their wage increase this year instead of next year. One effect of the strike was the Changed calendar for the rest of the . year. Johnson says that one goal is not extending the school year any longer than possible . One of the biggest Challenges is llto try and get school back to normal, he added. The teachers were on strike for 34 days, one of the longest teacher strikes. Til feel that the students in a way are being punished for something that we didn't do and I think that they should have had substitutes from the beginning of the strike, commented Bruce Otis, a senior. Mike Anderson, a freshman, said that Htaking away some of the days at Christmas isn't fair. School was back to just about normal after December. By Gail Wessels . $1339? gag? . K: fggv v O$ Dick Emahiser poses for the pic.