This story also appears in the Feb. 27 issue of the Pine Creek Journal. It was originally posted at 1:50 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 21.

Teachers and residents turned out at last week’s Hampton Township
School Board meeting to voice their support for reaching a contract agreement.

Alisa Murray, president of the Hampton Township Education Association spoke first, and was followed by teachers, residents and a former board director, who sang the praises of the Hampton educators.

The 225 teachers have been without a contract since June 30, 2007. Progress on reaching a new agreement has been moving slowly.

The two sides met earlier this month and had serious talks involving 20 separate issues, even going so far as to remove eight from the table, Murray said.

That leaves 35 issues that still need negotiated, and Murray is concerned about the length of time that could take.

“The board doesn’t have a whole lot of motivation to settle with us,” she said.

Murray went on to acknowledge the teachers and the students for all their hard work and commitment to the district.

She said the teachers are always prepared when they come to the table, and would like to see it move a little bit faster.

“The process is draining on everyone involved,” she said. “Kind of like a black cloud hanging over our heads.”

Board president Dr. Harold Sarver said the board is just as much in favor of settling the contracts.

“We’re aware of all the work the teachers do,” Sarver said. “Believe me, those extra efforts are recognized and appreciated.”

Sarver said the district officials are looking forward to the next bargaining session tonight, and that they want to be fair to all those involved, especially the students.

Then, former board director Dr. Jim Pinta — a geologist and Hampton resident who had three daughters graduate from the district — got up to support the teachers.

“Hampton teachers excel at what they do,” Pinta said. “People come to Hampton because of this school district.”

Pinta reminded everyone of recent local and national rankings in both the Pittsburgh Business Times and Newsweek Magazine, and said the teachers deserve to be rewarded for the good publicity and value they bring to the community.

Pinta, who served on the board from 2000-2003, said the government puts too many mandates on the teachers and micromanages too much.

He said the job of the board is to provide the teachers with the resources and tool they need, and to let them do their job.

Other residents and teachers from other school districts got up to voice their support for the teachers as well.

Marcie Good, a resident and parent of two students at Poff Elementary School, read off a list of everything good the Hampton teachers do for the students and the community.

“The make sure that no child is left behind,” Good said.

Theresa Hune, a resident and teacher at Seneca Valley School District, said she is afraid the same thing will happen at Hampton that happened at Seneca Valley.

The teachers there have been without a contract since June 30, 2006, and have already gone on strike once.

“I speak to you tonight out of fear,” Hune said. “I do not want to happen in Hampton Township what happened in Seneca Valley.”

Murray said she knows that the board also wants to come to an agreement, but wants to see more work put in to get it done.

“Let’s get rid of this black cloud and settle this contract,” she said.