Volume 41, Issue 20 - Feb. 13, 2019

Page 1

The Student Newspaper of MSU Denver

mymetmedia.com

VOL. 41

@themetonline

NO. 19

FEBRUARY 13, 2019

themetropolitan

Tensions overflow into streets

First Denver teacher strike in 25 years, negotiations still on table By Madison Lauterbach mlauter1@msudenver.edu Denver teachers were up early on the morning of Feb. 11 like any other school day, but most were not headed to their classrooms. Most were prepared to make their voices heard despite the cold weather and go on strike for the first time in 25 years. “Listen, give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, and we can have a Denver school faculty meeting,” said National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen Garcia on the state’s capitol steps during the afternoon rally. Teachers and special service providers gathered on the picket lines at schools across Denver for the first day of the long awaited strike, but not without incident. The day was scheduled to begin with a press conference at South High School, but according to Denver Classroom Teacher Association Lead Negotiator Robert Gould, the district attempted to bar union leaders from speaking. Gould said that DCTA President Henry Roman and himself were locked out by Denver Public Schools’ security. Will Jones, director of media relations for DPS, then announced that the union would not be holding a press conference. According to Gould, board members persuaded Jones to allow union leadership to speak. “We kinda came up on the press conference and said ‘Hey, this is for us? You guys want to talk to us, right?’ They let us in after that. Pretty crazy.” The union and district disagreed over the appropriation of approximately $8 million in negotiations the last few weeks. In the 11th hour of bargaining on Feb. 9, both sides were close to coming to an agreement. However, Gould said that Saturday afternoon the district came back with language in their offer that looked unrecognizable to that of the preceding days’. The district offered to meet again Sunday, but the union refused, citing the frustration both sides had experienced.

| Continued on pg. 3

INSIDE NEWS

| pg. 4

University recieves grant for textbook scheme

OPINION

| pg. 6

Republicans have not earned bipartisanship

FEATURES

| pg. 8

Homecoming week kicks off in Tivoli Kaileigh Lyons | klyons9@msudenver.edu

Denver Public Schools parent and pastor at Highlands United Methodist Church, Brad Laurvick, gives the crowd a parent perspective on the teacher strike at the Colorado State Capitol on Feb 11. Approximately 2,000 teachers and their supporters gathered at the Capitol after striking at DPS schools across the city.

SPORTS

| pg. 12

Bill Belichick has dethroned Vince Lombardi


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