Schools in Newton, Massachusetts, will be closed for a 10th day Thursday as teachers seeking a new contract remain on strike.
The district made the announcement around 7:45 p.m. after another day of negotiations.
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People on both sides of the debate are feeling the frustration.
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"Is it about money? Or is it about some other bigger agenda, one where our kids are being used as pawns?" Newton School Committee Chair Christopher Brezski said.
"My heart breaks a little every day, not doing the thing that I love to do, which is teach students," said Newton North math teacher Ethan Peritz.
Two more parents have now filed a lawsuit against the union, calling on a judge to compel them back to school.
One of the parents behind that suit, Allison Goldberg said, "To ask the judge to order more severe economic sanctions against the NTA, and/or order the arrest of Michael Zilles for criminal contempt of court."
"We just feel like enough is enough stop using them as pawns let's get them in school," David Goldberg added.
Rebecca Pringle, the president of the National Education Association flew in to join the picket line Wednesday, pledging support for the NTA.
"I heard tell that you were standing up for fair contracts – is that right?" she asked of the chanting crowd.
Pringle declined to answer our questions about if her support included financial backing.
Meanwhile, the union is taking some heat over gatherings planned for Wednesday afternoon, four get-togethers at restaurants or bars around the area.
Some opponents of the teachers, like Fran Yerardi, were characterizing the gatherings as a "pub crawl," though teachers weren't expected to go from one to the next.
"If you're not doing everything you can to put kids in school, you should be ashamed of yourselves," Yerardi said.
The union confirmed Tuesday night in a statement that "there are social events scheduled outside of our contractual teaching hours to allow members to process — and be together inside, in the warmth, away from the rain, cold and snow we've experienced over the last 12 days."
"That's an after-hours gathering, and I don't see any profession where people are penalized or monitored for when they get out of work, going to a restaurant and hanging out with friends," Newton Spanish teacher Ana Tellado said.
As the strike continues, there is also a question of how the students are going to make up all of the days they're losing. They are required to have 180 days of instruction before the end of June.
The School Committee says that will be discussed at their meeting on Thursday.
