A contentious contract negotiation between the Reynoldsburg Teacher’s Union and the school board will resume mediation talks after Judge Richard A. Frye first denied an attempt by a parent to have schools closed while the teacher’s strike is ongoing due to safety concerns and then compelled the reluctant teacher’s union into mediation as an involuntary party.

Parent Tom Drabick sued to close the schools while the teachers are out on strike, citing concerns over proper supervision of children.  The school board has assured parents they have enough trained and certified substitutes to keep schools operating during negotiations, and the judge ultimately agreed.

Attendance at the district’s schools had dropped during the early weeks of the strike as parents were concerned about the quality of the instruction under the supervision of untested substitutes and the conditions at the schools.  The first day of classes, which saw teachers picketing, was described by some parents as “chaos” and there were reported injuries, spurring many parents to keep their children home.  However, recently attendance has risen again, with elementary school attendance at 83% and high school attendance at 60%.

The main issues cited by the teacher’s union were growing class sizes and frequent turnover of teaching staff, making it increasingly difficult to manage workloads or create teaching plans.  These issues combined with the budget cuts facing school districts across the country made negotiations difficult, and federal mediators were called in to assist the district and union in reaching some sort of accord.