Dublin school teachers take to the picket lines as strike starts

DUBLIN — As expected, hundreds of teachers formed picket lines early Monday morning as they began a strike to protest proposed budget cuts and layoffs by the district.

The picket lines started just before 7 a.m. after last-minute negotiations failed to provide an agreement between the Dublin Teachers Association and the Dublin Unified School District. The two sides of have engaged in contentious arguments for months.

In a post on social media, the DTA wrote that Monday “we are on strike because DUSD management refuses to invest in our students.” In an earlier post, they told the the district they they need to “re-prioritize your budget.”

The district has defended its position and wrote on its web site they had hoped Sunday to settle the situation during last-minute negotiations.

In a statement, the district said it “arrived ready to accept the compromised solution recommended by the neutral Fact Finder brought into this process. We came to the negotiating table ready to sign. Unfortunately, after (the) discussions, no agreement was reached.”

The schools in the district will remain open, though almost all of them will have an adjusted schedule while the strike is going.

“The first day will be a bit uncertain as we settle into a temporary, dynamic routine,” the district wrote. “All schools will be open, breakfast and lunch will be provided, and all students will be properly supervised. We anticipate an active and vocal presence by the DTA at each school site.”

Kindergarten, pre-kindergarten and preschools were set to be open from 8:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m., while elementary school from first to fifth grades were set to run from 8:35 a.m. to 12:35 p.m. Cottonwood Creek Middle School was set to be open from 8:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., and Wells & Fallon Middle School from 8:35 a.m. to 12:35 p.m. Dublin and Emerald high schools remained on their normal schedules, while Valley High is operating from 8:50 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.

The principal of those schools will provide site-specific information, the district said.

The district also wrote that it will be employing “qualified guest teachers” at all sites and that they will use “detailed lesson plans and scripted directions to guide students through their daily assignments.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.