‘It’s frustrating’: Haverhill parents support teacher strike but voice concerns over missed classes

HAVERHILL, Ma---Negotiations ended Monday night and still no deal reached for teachers in the Haverhill School District.

Classes once again have been canceled for Tuesday.

The financial proposal offered to the union would cost the city more than $20 million over the next three years.

According to the district, accepting the union’s proposal would lead to district layoffs as well as student fees for activities like sports.

Teachers could start receiving fines if they don’t follow a judge’s order to get back to work.

Haverhill teachers are now approaching day two of their strike leaving 8,000 students like Mateo at home.

“I feel like that the teachers and what they are doing is a good thing. I kind of feel bad that they won’t get paid what they want,” says Mateo, a Haverhill High School student.

Teachers aren’t in the fight alone. Parents stand by their strike too.

“Seeing what these teachers do for our kids they deserve it and they are raising our children,” says Eva Nicholas, a Haverhill school parent.

Nicholas has a child with special needs. She says she was able to make it work with her daughter staying home for the first day of the strike, but isn’t sure what will happen if it continues long-term.

“I won’t be able to go to work. I mean we would be taking a pay cut if I wasn’t working and with inflation, I already can’t afford life,” says Nicholas.

Dimaris is also a parent of a high schooler in the district. She supports the teachers, but worries how the strike will affect her kid’s education.

“It’s frustrating because I think they’re not getting their classwork done. This is going to put them back I think. From COVID they were home on Chromebooks and that wasn’t great so I am afraid of regression,” says Dimaris.

A judge ordered the teachers to get back to work, but teachers refuse to return to the classroom until not only salary needs are met, but also providing safer and racially equal schools as well.

“We had to choose what is moral or what is legal and we chose what is moral and standing up for our students at this moment is moral,” says Barry Davis, Vice President of the Haverhill Education Association.

Even though school is out, students are still getting fed. Lunches are being served at various locations throughout the city.

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