Striking Neshaminy teachers report death threat
Picketing teachers also have had cars swerve at them and eggs and curses hurled at them, the union says.
Striking Neshaminy teachers report death threat
The striking Neshaminy teachers’ union has reported a death threat to one of its members and physical and verbal attacks on others as they picket outside schools, leaders said Tuesday.
The death threat was posted by a student on Facebook over the weekend, union President Louise Boyd said in a written statement. “Screen shots” of the threat have been given to police and the school district, she said.
A secondary school teacher reported the death threat to Superintendent Louis Muenker on Sunday, and requested anonymity, school board President Ritchie Webb said. The teacher’s email was forwarded to the district’s attorneys, he said.
“It didn’t happen on school grounds, but we look out for the safety of our teachers,” Webb said.
The union also has reported incidents of cars swerving at teachers who were picketing outside the district’s 13 schools Monday, on the first day of their strike over a four-year contract impasse. Eggs and other items were thrown at teachers by passing motorists, in addition to verbal taunts, according to the union statement.
“Things are getting out of hand,” Boyd said. “There’s no justification for anyone doing what they did to our members yesterday.”
Because of the threats, the union advised its 633 teachers, guidance counselors, librarians and nurses to skip the school board’s public meeting Tuesday night.
The strike has forced the cancellation of classes, extending the school year up to two weeks, and the meeting had been expected to be heated.
The teachers have been working without a raise for four years, under terms of the expired contract that the board says it can no longer afford.
"The teachers have been working without a raise for four years, under terms of the expired contract that the board says it can no longer afford."
Well I know plenty of folks that have worked for the last 4 years without getting a raise and on top of paying for their own benefits and retirements, they have to fund these deadbeats too. Get back to work.— theromneycult- Teachers are in LaLa Land..Get with how the real world works. Paying exorbinate healthcare premiums, 401(k)'s that are down. The entitlement ideology is so far removed from reality it's incomprehensible.— donnow1
- It was Saul Alinsky calling.— tr88
- Sure they've been without a contract for 4 years - because their gangster demands are unreasonable. Fire 'em all and hire real teachers.— tonyS
- This was handled poorly by both sides. Now we have a situation were the parents feel all the teachers are greedy pigs who don't care about their children. The teachers feel completely unappreciated which makes their tough job even harder. The students are stuck in the middle. I'm sure they want to like their teachers but they are influenced by what they hear at home and will have no respect for their teachers, making learning difficult. The entire community loses. It's a shame.
— Darwin09 - Those who can't do , teach. Let's see these a-holes in the competive business world working 12 months a year. GET OUT.— cricker
- At least the students get a 2 week reprieve from liberal propoganda.— cricker
- The first strike was to show the board they were serious, the 2nd strike in one year is clearly taking out their issue on students and families in the community. The buildings are likely not air-conditioned, vacations will have be cancelled, not to mention their scores stink and who can blame the kids with such a disruptive education. shame on all involved.— Notmyname
- The meanness in these posts is not surprising given the board's name-calling. Interestingly, not one of the so-called persons who wrote a reply condemned the death threats, the egg throwing, the insults and ignorance shown by the community. Remember, this is a labor dispute and there was no reason to escalate it into a situation that is deteriorating into a potential tragedy. G-d forbid that a teacher is severely injured by a swerving car or blinded by something thrown by these out-of -control louts.
The community's adults are really teaching the kids a great lesson. If you disagree, insult, demonize, and if that doesn't work, attack them physically. The comment by Ritchie Webb was nauseating and phony as it is the board with their ignorant rants against the teachers that is responsible for this disgusting spectacle. Webb and his fellow know-nothing board members wouldn't lose a minute's sleep if a teacher were injured. What a disgusting community. There is no excuse for their behavior.— Drumgoole - Drummy - stop with melodrama .."death threats, egg throwing" etc. "Severely injured"? no one has been hurt, and this is a tired tactic long used by unions to make themselves out to be the victim, the "noise" is all generated by the union, and you and 3 other morons fell for it, as always. Wide away the anger and emotion and everyone knows the score - union greed, period.— ruttrho
- So much for UNION thuggery.— mick-of-the-moment
- It's time for Kenny Gamble to take over the Neshaminy school district.— Joe Pyne
- union greed....right. You are the same people that made fun of teacher's salaries the past 20-30 years and would never contemplate teaching, but now that the private sector sucks....you are jealous of what we have. You could have taught, couldn't you....oh no....your grades sucked so you joined the business world instead.....and now you need a scapegoat for your pathetic situations. What is happening in this country is eerily similar to a certain European country in the 1930's! Be very careful of the slope we are sliding down.— illacat215
- illacat: if you weren't a teacher, would you have the same opinion? Neshaminy teachers pay $0 in health care if I'm not mistaken. That's wrong. My wife works in a district where they pay %15, which is still low, but you get the point.— bobbyd24
- More to the point. Why is healthcare so expensive? It should be free for everyone or rather...included in your taxes. The U.S. pays more for healthcare than any other country in the world. Furthermore, it is ranked 37th in the world in service.
Seriously, stop blaming the teachers for holding onto what should be the standard of living for everyone. If anything, they are giving you your rallying cry as to why you shouldn't have to pay for yours.
Many corporations are reporting record profits. Since 9-11, companies have realized they can use less workers, charge more, and make more profit. In the mean time, many are begging for more because they are "just happy to have a job" because corporations have instilled fear.
Stand up for yourselves! Stop fighting the middle class, which is disappearing, and start fighting those making record profits at our expense.— concerned52
