RPS 205 Employee Strike Could Effect Thousands Of Students

Rockford Public Schools employees announced they will strike, which could effects thousands of student. Why are they striking and when and how will it effect students?

If you haven't followed along, these employees are upset primarily due to the cost of health insurance going from just over $30 a month to over $200 a month, although pay increases are involved, too.

RPS 205 employees consisting of bus drivers, food service workers, and paraprofessionals have filed their intent to strike, according to rrstar.com. This could have a huge effect one students and families in multiple ways.

Rockford Public Schools will remain open during the strick, which is set to being March 15th. RRStar.com says,

... a situation that could leave thousands of children without rides to and from school. It also means hundreds of employees who provide support to teachers and work one-on-one with students with disabilities won't be there, along with the hundreds more who cook and serve hot meals to children at lunchtime.

Here's where innocent students and parents become effected. Parents will have to make sure their children are dropped off at school and picked up at the required time. Children will be fed a "limited" meal.

As a parent of a student in the Rockford Public School system I feel sorry for the big inconvenience this will have on families that are going to struggle to get their children to school.

And I don't know if you'd call this worse but, according to rrstar.com,

Existing district employees would need to step in to meet federal education requirements for students with special needs.

The report goes on to say the strike could be called off if an contract agreement with RPS 205 is reached.

Let's hope this is resolved within the next ten days so that no students are effected and employees receive what they feel is deserved.