Teachers are preparing to head back to the classroom this coming fall, but Washington, D.C. teachers are concerned because they do not have a contract with D.C. Public Schools, and the Washington Teachers Union says it is three years past due.
“I am hopeful we will come back to the table to negotiate the contract, because my worst fear is that we are not going to have teachers in the classroom,” said Jaqueline Pogue Lyons, president of the Washington Teachers Union.
The Union held a rally on Freedom Plaza Tuesday, hoping to send a message to city and school leaders.
Pogue Lyons is concerned that the failure to meet an agreement is leaving teachers feeling so disrespected, many are leaving the District.
Teachers have not received a pay increase and have spent the last three years working without a contract.
Clare Berke, a mom and a high school English teacher, says her family had to move out of D.C. to buy an affordable home.
“I always wanted to live in D.C. where I teach, and this year, I had to move. [It's] hard for me because I believe in living where you are teaching,” Berke said.
7News reached out to the D.C. School District for a response. A spokesperson sent this statement:
“D.C. Public Schools is committed to attracting, retaining, and supporting our excellent educators. As the fourth highest paying school district in the country and the highest in the region, we are currently negotiating in good faith to reach an agreement and have made a strong offer to the Washington Teachers Union that includes robust compensation increases for educators. We will continue to work diligently toward providing stability for our educators with a finalized contract that offers fair and attractive compensation that reflects the dedication and expertise of our teachers.”
Teachers say it is time for action.
“We have been stalled now, for three years, and our last contract, they didn’t change a single working condition. We were six years overdue. So this is a pattern with this mayor. Enough is enough,” said Laura Fuchs, a teacher, who is also the secretary for the Washington Teachers Union.
According the National Education Association, in 2020, D.C. teachers ranked fourth in the nation for average pay. New York was ranked number one.