Banning Unified School District in Riverside County (California) is currently on strike. The teachers chose the first 3 days of schools to strike over the districts change in hours of a local middle school without informing its teachers…allegedly. The hour change happened last year and was approved by admin and the Board of Education.
Let’s recap. The district added 8 minutes per period to the middle school schedule. This moves seems legitimate, especially given the fact that the school has abysmal academic scores. That move prompted the teacher union to gripe and complain that they had not negotiated the times or more money for the additional hour added to the teaching day. In fact, they say that teachers are now working without compensation for that time and that they shouldn’t have to work for free!
I will remind you that teachers are salaried employees and their workday (after the additional minutes) is still only from 7:45 AM to 2:40 PM. Except for Thursday, the day ends at 12:39 PM, and I suspect there is some teacher training or prep time during that time. Even though many teachers leave the site at 12:39 PM anyway on Thursday.
And finally, this is a chronically low performing school. Today is the 3rd day of the strike because they chose to strike on the first three days of the 2018-2019 school year. Nothing says welcome to your crappy middle school education like a bunch of union drama queens blocking the classrooms. Wait! Who are schools for?
Here is the bell schedule with the added times.

Leticia Chavez-Garcia

Latest posts by Leticia Chavez-Garcia (see all)
- La Junta de Educación del Condado de Orange Pone a los Niños en Riesgo al Reabrir las Escuelas - July 20, 2020
- Orange County Board of Education Puts Children at Risk by Reopening Schools - July 15, 2020
- Amidst Threats from the Department of Education, California Schools Go Online For Fall - July 14, 2020
- Hablando y Tomando Medidas Contra los Maestros Racistas - June 8, 2020
- Speaking Up and Taking Action Against Racist Teachers - June 4, 2020