Dear Editor,

World War I happened because you had two sides so geared up for war that war was inevitable. It just so happens a spark in Balkans cost millions of lives. What came out of it? Nothing but a lot of family members missing their children and parents. No land was really gained. No political victories were won.

Over the past two years of failed negotiations like the Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente, we in the Warren County School District set ourselves up for the inevitable. So now we are on strike and we are both flexing our muscles.

Thursday on the line we kept the AD out of the building by barricading ourselves in the road. He is a teacher but he wasn’t going there to write lesson plans. He was going there to organize sporting events (great victory). Also, on that day the school district unnecessarily shut teachers insurances down which certainly affects over a thousand people and the community (especially my wife’s cousin with cancer who is a teacher).

For two years both negotiating teams had the ability to come up with something equitable that would satisfy both groups. Who wouldn’t give? Were they that far apart? Come on, numbers are numbers. The people on the board don’t make anything from this. Their decisions are sincerely what they believe are in the best interest of the community. Are the teachers suggesting the board’s and executives’ ideas are sincere but rather selfish? Boy, I hope that isn’t the case. Are my fellow teachers suggesting that the board and executives can’t do math and they are wrong? If that is the case I will certainly stand strong with my fellow teachers. Hopefully, I hope that is not the case.

I never participated in getting a green shirt. I never participated in the parade. Plus, I never went before the board meeting or any negotiating meeting. My reason was this was not going to fix anything but instead antagonize the other party. As it turns out, I was correct. The reports of what the Warren Times Observer and Mr. Honhart said of my fellow teachers makes me embarrassed and I was not even there.

As far as insurance goes, they had a right to take it away. However, this leads me to blame. Either our union the NEA knew this could happen and didn’t tell us, or the school district is doing something so bad that other teachers on strike throughout the state never had to bear this burden. With that in mind, someone is looking seriously bad here.

Today, we find out that negotiations failed last night and they are not meeting again until next Wednesday? So basically what they are saying is both parties are willing to let so many of our students go without a breakfast and lunch every day as they were provided in the schools. Basically, what both parties are saying is they are willing to extend the school year so my son’s graduation is going to be extended because someone has a conference? Also, how many parents can’t go to work because their children are at home?

I have been on the picket lines now for days. The teachers are smiling and waving at cars. They are honking back as if every honk means something. As if we were at a Walk For Life or something similar. Who we need supporting us are our elected officials and teacher representatives, not people honking horns. It is bologna that they didn’t settle Tuesday night. Do they not recognize that we eventually will have to settle? At some point the State is going to come in and say, ” you guys are keeping kids out of school for this?”

As for this teacher, I am ready to go back to work again. I miss my students and doing the job I love.

Tom Smoulder, teacher SAMHS