The rain doesn’t deter picketers from letting their voices be heard.
JAY – About 20 high school students stood Friday on the side of Route 4, posters held in front of them, shouting at vehicles going by.
“Our teachers need a contract,” “Honk if you want a contract,” they yelled. Each time someone answered with a honk, resounding hollers went up.
Among the honking vehicles and yelling, some drivers passed by raising thumbs up to the Jay High School students.
It was pouring rain, but it didn’t stop the teenagers from protesting the lack of new contract for their teachers. Teachers have been working without a new contract since last fall. Negotiations have come to a standstill. Jay teachers say they’re willing to accept an independent fact-finding panel’s report that recommends a compromise between what teachers want and the School Committee is willing to give. The latter’s bargaining unit says the compromise is too expensive for Jay taxpayers.
Seniors at Jay High School say they are disappointed a lot of teachers won’t be coming to their graduation or Senior Night. Students say they are upset that they aren’t able to get as much extra help as they need after school. To protest a lack of a contract, teachers are “working to rule” of the old contract, which means for the high school teachers 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
That’s not enough time to get extra help with school studies, students said.
After school Friday, students walked down Community Way to the Knights of Columbus Hall parking lot on Route 4 to protest. The day before 156 students had staged a sit-down demonstration in the school gymnasium protesting the lack of new contract. Students want people to know that the contract dispute between the Jay School Committee and teachers are affecting them.
Green Magic Marker smeared together the words “No contract, No peace,” and ran down a white poster onto Cody DeMillo’s light-colored pants.
The 17-year-old said, “I think it’s stupid teachers don’t have a contract. Because of that, they’re not going to our graduation.”
Jared McCourt, 17, an organizer of the protests, held a poster that read, “Staff and faculty are willing to compromise. Is the school board?”
“This is what we need. We need publicity,” McCourt said. “People need to know this is affecting students. We support our teachers. We hope this will make it happen a little faster.”
Crystal McDonald said she wrote a letter on behalf of the class of 2003 to teachers last week asking them to change their minds about attending graduation. Her favorite teacher did, she said. There will be less than a dozen teachers at graduation, she said.
She said she supports teachers for standing up for their beliefs, but she is “really offended” that they aren’t going to be there in the end.
“Although they are doing what they have always taught us, to stand up for their beliefs, they are letting us all down,” she said in a voice hoarse from yelling. “They’ve been with us for four years and they won’t be there to see us graduate. That is very upsetting.”
Mark Frank, 16, another organizer said, “The teachers don’t have a contract … now it’s affecting us. They can’t stay past 2:30 p.m.”
“I’m supporting the teachers. I’m supporting other students here to help get the teachers their contract,” Jonathan Hasty, 16, said. “I don’t know how much help this is going to be. The teachers should have their contract.”
Forty minutes after the protest started and the sun broke through the clouds, students disbanded.
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