Walk-ins planned at dozens of JCPS schools
Since the Jefferson County Teachers Association urged its members last week to organize "walk-ins" at their schools, dozens of campuses have announced the days and times of their planned events for the first week of May.
Last Thursday, hundreds of teachers showed up for the union's "emergency meeting" of its organizing committee to discuss collective action in response to JCPS ideas being floated to freeze step raises of all district employees making more than $14 an hour next school year and to make changes to the student code of conduct to disallow the use of suspensions as punishment for certain offenses.
The walk-ins are events where teachers and supporters meet up outside a school and walk in together to show solidarity, said JCTA Vice President Tammy Berlin, saying that such a move is different from a walk-out because with walk-ins, teachers are able to continue supporting their students.
Teachers at schools doing walk-ins are urging parents and others in the community to join them, and said that the walk-ins should not disrupt student learning.
In addition to the walk-ins, JCTA is urging members and supporters to wear red on Monday to show support for teachers. The union is using the hashtag #WearRed4PublicEd.
And JCTA is also asking its members to attend the JCPS board's next meeting on May 10. Berlin said a rally is being planned that day in concert with other unions.
The May 10 board meeting is when JCPS staff is expected to formally bring forth a proposal to the board to not allow any step or cost of living increases for any JCPS employee next year who is making more than $14 an hour and to also negotiate a to-be-determined percentage increase in pay for employees making less than $14 an hour.
That idea comes after last Tuesday's unveiling of a long-awaited comprehensive salary review that the district commissioned.
While the review looked at all salaries in the district, teachers took issue with a finding that found that current JCPS teacher pay schedules are "significantly high" compared to the market at all levels, with the study saying the "premium over market" pay to JCPS teachers equals $53 million a year. The union responded last week with its own salary student that found that, while JCPS does offer competitive salaries to teachers, it does not always have the highest beginning teacher, mid-career or maximum salaries compared to comparable school districts.
Here is the working list of walk-ins planned at various schools, based on a list compiled by the union, Facebook events and messages from event organizers:
Monday:
6:45 a.m.: Crosby Middle
8:30 a.m.: Bowen Elementary
8:30 a.m.: Coleridge-Taylor Elementary
8:30 a.m.: Semple Elementary
8:55 a.m.: Rutherford Elementary
9 a.m.: Farmer Elementary
Tuesday:
6:45 a.m.: Newburg Middle
7 a.m.: Eastern High
7 a.m.: Moore Traditional
7 a.m.: Olmsted Academy South
7 a.m.: Westport Middle
8 a.m.: Breckinridge-Franklin Elementary
8 a.m.: Cochran Elementary
8 a.m.: Dixie Elementary
8:15 a.m.: Frayser Elementary
8:15 a.m.: Harstern Elementary
8:30 a.m.: Hite Elementary
8:45 a.m.: Middletown Elementary
4:15 p.m.: St. Matthews Elementary
Time not announced to union: Norton Elementary, Eisenhower Elementary
Wednesday:
6:45 a.m.: Highland Middle
6:45 a.m.: Jeffersontown High
6:45 a.m.: PRP High
6:45 a.m.: Valley High
7 a.m.: Atherton High
7 a.m.: Ballard High
7 a.m.: Butler High (meet at school marquee)
7 a.m.: Central High (meet in church parking lot at 11th and Chestnut)
7 a.m.: Fern Creek High
7 a.m.: Meyzeek Middle
7 a.m.: Ramsey Middle
8 a.m.: Cochran Elementary
8 a.m.: Greenwood Elementary
8 a.m.: Mill Creek Elementary
8 a.m.: Schaffner Elementary
8 a.m.: Shacklette Elementary
8 a.m.: Stonestreet Elementary
8 a.m.: Wilkerson Elementary
8 a.m.: Zachary Taylor Elementary
8:10 a.m.: Klondike Elementary
8:15 a.m.: Audobon Elementary
8:15 a.m.: Coral Ridge Elementary
8:15 a.m.: Kerrick Elementary
8:15 a.m.: Layne Elementary (according to Facebook invite; union list has it at 8:20 a.m. Thursday)
8:15 a.m.: Luhr Elementary
8:15 a.m.: Medora Elementary
8:15 a.m.: Portland Elementary
8:15 a.m.: Watson Lane Elementary
8:25 a.m.: Engelhard Elementary
8:30 a.m.: Atkinson Elementary
8:30 a.m.: Camp Taylor Elementary
8:30 a.m.: Johnsontown Road Elementary
8:30 a.m.: Kenwood Elementart
8:30 a.m.: Lowe Elementary
2:30 p.m.: Olmstead North
Time not announced to union: Lincoln Elementary, Western Middle
Thursday:
6:45 a.m.: Knight Middle
6:45 a.m.: Western High
7 a.m.: Manual High
7 a.m.: Johnson Middle
7 a.m.: Noe Middle
7 a.m.: Seneca High
7:30 a.m.: Brown School
8 a.m.: Bloom Elementary
8 a.m.: Blue Lick Elementary
8 a.m.: Carter Elementary
8 a.m.: Fairdale Elementary
8 a.m.: Rangeland Elementary
8 a.m.: Shelby Elementary
8:15 a.m.: Fern Creek Elementary
8:15 a.m.: Indian Trail Elementary (at the flag pole)
8:15 a.m.: Maupin Elementary
8:15 a.m.: McFerran Prep
8:15 a.m.: Roosevelt-Perry Elementary
8:15 a.m.: Sanders Elementary
8:20 a.m.: Layne Elementary
8:30 a.m.: Bates Elementary
8:30 a.m.: Watterson Elementary
8:30: Wheeler Elementary
8:45 a.m.: Field Elementary (under the tree)
Time not announced to union: Dunn Elementary, Lassiter Middle, Southern High
If you have information about a walk-in that is planned at a school not on this list, please let us know through Twitter, Facebook or email.
Reporter Allison Ross can be reached at (502) 582-4241. Follow the Courier-Journal's education team at Facebook.com/SchooledCJ.