The Abridged version:
- As Twin Rivers Unified enters its second day of a teacher strike, parents say they are worried their children are not receiving an education in the meantime.
- The union has urged families to keep kids at home during the strike to put pressure on the district. Some working parents say that’s a nonchoice for them.
- Some parents said students were put in rooms with younger students and asked to supervise. One said middle schoolers were given coloring books — with no crayons.
The faceoff between Twin Rivers teachers and the school district entered its second day Friday, with no clear end in sight. Parents say they worry about the toll it is taking on their children.
“You can see it on their faces … it’s so far from their normal routine,” said Lexi Kreb, parent of two Twin Rivers students.
Schools across the district have remained open since the start of the teacher strike, the first in Twin Rivers’ history. Officials told Abridged they plan to keep campuses open Monday, if the strike continues.
Next door in Natomas Unified, teachers are poised to start their own strike soon. The union and district continue to spar over salary increases, health care coverage and class sizes — similar to negotiations in Twin Rivers. The teams are scheduled to meet again Sunday, according to a message from union leaders to members Friday.
But barring an 11th-hour deal over the weekend, educators say they will be on the picket line starting Tuesday. Natomas officials have said they too plan to keep schools open.
Sixth-grade chaperones and coloring pages
In messages to families, Twin Rivers officials reported a 72% attendance rate Thursday and said the day was “very successful.”
“Was the day perfect? No — but when challenges came up, our teams moved quickly, shifted resources, and made sure our students were taken care of,” one message read. “Most importantly, your children were safe, engaged, and supported throughout the day, whether in the classroom or out on the yard.”
Kreb sent her son, a kindergartener, and daughter, a sixth grader, to school at Allison Elementary Thursday. She said they were far from engaged or learning that day.
Older students, like her daughter, were put in rooms with younger pupils and instructed to help supervise, Kreb said.
“It’s very hard to explain to an 11-year-old why they’re being put in a room with 5-year-olds and being told they’re responsible,” Kreb said.
In a statement, the district said their priority in keeping campuses open is providing students with a safe space, access to meals and continued learning.
“Schools may combine groups or adjust schedules so that students are always safely supervised by staff throughout the day,” the district said. “The format of instruction will look different than a typical school day, but students are still engaged in learning, enrichment, physical activities, and supported by staff.”
Lorie Turner, a teacher of more than 20 years in Twin Rivers, said her students at Smythe Academy of Arts and Sciences Middle School were updating her throughout the day Thursday.
The pre-teens told her they were given coloring pages, with no crayons, to occupy their time.
Keeping kids at home a nonchoice for some parents
Kreb said she has faced pushback from some other parents for sending her kids to school during the strike.
The union has called for families to keep students at home as a way of putting additional pressure on the district.
But that is a nonchoice for some working parents, Kreb said.
“I work in health care,” she said. “If I don’t go to work, sick people aren’t getting cared for.”
Savannah Kuchar is a reporter covering education. She came to Sacramento to be a part of the Abridged team and contribute to a crucial local news source.