"Sickout" May Close Schools Tomorrow

WTU's Netcoh says Superintendent is "spreading rumors and causing trouble."

John Howell
Posted 10/26/16

Schools could be closed tomorrow, according to a warning issued through the Connect-Ed system just before 2 pm today.

Superintendent Philip Thornton said, “We have received several credible …

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"Sickout" May Close Schools Tomorrow

WTU's Netcoh says Superintendent is "spreading rumors and causing trouble."

Posted

Schools could be closed tomorrow, according to a warning issued through the Connect-Ed system just before 2 pm today.

Superintendent Philip Thornton said, “We have received several credible reports that the Warwick Teachers Union is pressuring its membership to ‘call in’ sick tomorrow, Thursday, October 27th in an attempt to disrupt schooling as a way of protesting the state of teacher contract negotiations. The superintendent said he learned of the possibility of a sickout Tuesday following meetings at several schools. 

Warwick Teachers Union President Darlene Netcoh debunked any effort of a union coordinated sickout. “It’s a rumor. I’ve never pressured anyone to do anything …there’s no coordinated action,” she said in a telephone call. “He’s [Thornton] the one spreading rumors and causing trouble.”

Netcoh would not say whether union leadership had discussed a sickout. “I’m not going to discuss union business,” she said. 

In an interview, Thornton was hopeful teachers won’t stage a sickout but said administrators would be carefully monitoring teacher attendance in the morning and would close schools if absenteeism was such that the district couldn’t staff schools.

“We can’t do anything until something occurs,” he said. 
He said the matter would be treated like a weather-related closing with the decision based on numbers of teachers reporting sick rather than the threat or actual amount of falling snow. He couldn’t say whether this would be a system-wide closure or just certain schools.

Within minutes of being issued, the statement provoked a flurry of comments on social media, from criticism of Thornton for not closing the schools so parents could plan accordingly, to outrage directed at the teachers, as well as support for teachers.

“I support Warwick school teachers,” writes Shawana Scotti on the Community of Warwick Facebook page. “They do need a contract…I hope they do call in sick tomorrow. Get well soon.”

Nathan Cornell, who declared as a candidate for school committee and lost in the September primary, claimed in a post that the union has no intention of pressing teachers to call out sick. He charged the call to parents is an effort to divert attention from the school administration’s unpopular recommendation that was followed by the committee to consolidate elementary schools.

In the advisory to parents, Thornton acknowledges reports of a sickout could be “merely a rumor.” If schools have to be closed because of a lack of teachers, Thornton said parents would receive a call through the department messaging system as well as an email.

WTU, Warwick Teachers Union, Warwick Schools

Comments

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  • WAquilante

    Not true. I will be at work tomorrow as I always do.

    Wednesday, October 26, 2016 Report this

  • Imhere

    Here we go again with the INCOMPETENT Phill Thorton, doing nothing to earn his paycheck. It's time for Thorton to find a new job, how long will everyone sit back and let this despicable human destroy Warwick Schools which use to be a good system. He doesn't care because he laughs at the bank and when he crosses over to the Cranston line leaving everyone in Warwick with the bill and a mess to clean up. With the decline of enrollment in Warwick some type of consolidation needs to be done, but with the huge mess the incompetent school committee and Thorton created with the secondary consolidation they should have took a year to make sure everything was in order and assure the city of Warwick as a whole this next consolidation old not be a failure like the last. The teachers NEED a contract to protect themselves from and administration and school committee who is not in place for the students. Phil Thorton and his puppets let 4 fourth grade students be inappropriately touched and did absolutely nothing about it and his puppet administration just followed in his footsteps. When will the kids be put first, their needs to achieve the best education (and expensive one), they need the school committee and this administration to step up and not waste time with propaganda like this and finally do what's right for the KIDS.

    Thursday, October 27, 2016 Report this

  • WarCitz

    Are you teachers kidding me!!!! Consolidation was on the table long before Thorton got here. The difference being is that he had the integrity to follow thru on it and get it done. And "they should have took a year to make sure everything was in order" again there was committee after committee for years about consolidation and because of the good ole' boy network that is Rhode Island it went NOWHERE....why? because it meant folks losing cushy jobs. There is never an easy time for any of this and if wasn't my/our generation of kids/city having to go through it then it would be the next. Our infrastructure and technology are beyond obsolete and that is at the fault of the previous administration up and down the chain of command and into the classrooms. Other neighboring districts put us to shame, and don't get me going on how this whole state should just be ONE district. There are counties in other states the size of RI with one school district, one contract, one administration.

    Then I laugh when I hear the union and teachers talk about the kids and what is best for them etc. but you do not have open houses, not using the tools given to you, aiding in proper college planning, supporting our sports team at games, and God forbid we call guidance to speak with any of them and get something arranged (my kid has had a different one each year and has not had a meeting once with them). A quick example of incompetence that probably can resonate with all citizens and of course trying to blame the consolidation; a WHOLE year, even summer to plan properly for traffic patterns and that became a debacle out of the gate and embarrassing.

    Guess what in the real world sometimes in order to survive and have a job you have to take a cut, I know this first hand as it has happened to me and I have a master’s degree, 20 plus years’ experience in my field, and like that I was gone and now working for a lot less. So, if any of you were in the real world you would be gone by now!

    So, do I think a Call In was going to happen, absolutely YES, you just got caught and had to pull the plug on doing it. If you care so much about the kids then start by having accountability for your own actions, stop complaining about the consolidation (it is here), do you part on learning what you need to with the tools given, and be there for the kids in and beyond the classroom.

    And in closing and for the record I am not a puppet of Thorton, just a parent seeing his kids’ school years wasted away on this and staff doing bear minimum across the board which is not preparing them for the future. Heck, I am a parent involved, and care about what’s going on with my kids I can’t imagine what is happening with the kids that are falling between the cracks!!!

    Get it together people!!!

    Thursday, October 27, 2016 Report this

  • WarCitz

    What do you NEED a contract for???? Most of the citizenry works without a contract and this is an at will state. I have no protections outside of the standard labor laws set forth by the state and feds. in all the jobs I have held over my 30 plus years of employment.

    Thursday, October 27, 2016 Report this

  • Imhere

    @Warcitz fyi I'm not a teacher, but a very concerned parent who 8 years ago when my oldest daughter started in the Warwick School dept is had some faith, but within the time the incompetent Thorton took the reigns I have lost all faith and plan on leaving the city of Warwick. My issues with Thorton and his puppets have nothing to do with consolidation, but has only added to the issues. Like I said I agree some type of consolidation needs to be done, but finish the first one before even voting on a second. Thorton also wants another $90 million to fix these old run down schools when they should knock these buildings down and build state of the art facilities( that would match the amount of taxes we pay 51.57% of car taxes). The teachers absolutely need a contract and I also think that not all deserve it, but these are the people who are teaching the future of this community.

    Thursday, October 27, 2016 Report this

  • JusthaFacts

    "several credible reports," sounds like a Homeland Security threat, but these days when politicians and various "rights" activists are constantly shouting that we are being threaten from all sides, I guess you have to use new scary words to get attention. Before one could just yell "wolf" and folks would jump to arms and join in your little charade, but even then they would only do it a couple times before ignoring your lies and trying to get back to serious things like teaching children.

    Thursday, October 27, 2016 Report this

  • moreofthesame

    WarCitz- You don't know you what are talking about. You can have your opinion, but that doesn't make it right....

    Why don't you come work as a teacher in special ed for a while so you can see how "easy and cushy" it is?

    The "real world" is different for everyone. Should Warwick Police, Fireman and the Public Works Department have contracts?

    What you don't seem to understand is the lack of support and the ineffective management that the Warwick School provides.

    You make proclamations of how you think things are yet have no understanding of how things really are.

    Why are teachers constantly painted as lazy, ineffective and greedy? Why doesn't the School superintendent show some support for the teachers?

    When students succeed the credit goes to the parents and student. Seldom do teachers get the positive recognition that they deserve.....AND YOU WarCitz are living proof of that.

    Walk a mile in their shoes and you'll be singing a different tune......

    Thursday, October 27, 2016 Report this

  • ThatGuyInRI

    The more things change....

    It looks like IMHERE continues on with his not so latent man-crush on Dr. Thornton. Only unrequinted love can make one so angry. What is it, does the red hair just drive you crazy?

    And no "organized" sick out? Word on the street is 80+ teachers are ahem, sick today. But that's none of my business...

    Thursday, October 27, 2016 Report this

  • WarCitz

    @moreofthesame I did teach in special ed environments for many years (outside of mainstream schools and in the schools where these teachers would not even take a job...teachers there left to go to the districts because why??? It was easier, a pension, health insurance, and 9 to 3 job. These schools are the ones where the districts could not handle those kids, and if you do not know which ones I am talking about do some research) so I have walked in their shoes and beyond. Have had urine and feces thrown at me, let alone the bite marks.. So I have done it!!!

    On contracts again, why are they needed, why are any unions needed in this day and age???? This is not the days of no OSHA or other labor laws. And lack of effective management again? This was and has been the case in Warwick for a longggggg time not just now! Again, he is the one that came in and did what had to be done. Nobody likes change or to be held accountable in this world anymore...give me, give me, give me. All I know is I have my degrees and experience and am driving cars and living in a house that does not come close to what I have seen some teachers climb out of in the parking lot. And I know how things really are because I listen to what my kids have to say about their day in the Warwick school system. I hear what do you expect its Warwick, and teachers do not care. And as I said earlier if they care then they would be at open houses, be readily available to speak with parents and with dept. nights would not be standing up right at 3pm to walk out the door despite what help the student may need.

    They would be leveraging the tools provided to them....Chrome books; teachers complaining to my student that they are not going to use them because they do not know how to or not worth it....what is that....laziness. I will give credit where credit is due and if my child was succeeding or the masses were succeeding I would be first to do just that. The elementary level in Warwick has always been top notch. Right now my children are succeeding because of how they are being raised and guidance they are receiving from home. Once they entered jr. high and high school forget about it.

    I will give you a for instance....last year when this contract stuff started I had to drop my child off to a gang of teachers standing on a stoop with a paper being waved in the air by the coordinator about the contract being, you know what. My student then had to walk by hearing teachers use fowl language as she begin her day. So, moreofthesame how am I supposed to expect my student or myself to respect or give credit to when my student begin their day walking past that and my kids come home with the same attitude everyday?????

    Thursday, October 27, 2016 Report this

  • Imhere

    @thatguyinri you hit it right on the head, you must be a psychic. Since I've posted i have only reason to be upset with your puppeteer Thorton, but you make all the assumptions you like. Fyi it's not the red hair.

    Thursday, October 27, 2016 Report this

  • ginaa

    Contracts are more than just about money. They outline protocols for student and teacher protection. If you ok up any city's teacher contract, you will see criteria for class sizes, modifications for students, ELL language, maternity leave, military leave, bereavement leave, etc..... A contract is also needed due to incidents that do happen in the classroom with students harming themselves, other students, and teachers. It outlines class sizes at each level and seniority criteria. It will guarantee fair and equitable classes for both teachers and students. Provide safe working conditions and explain the roles for all. The contract is not just for teachers but also for students.

    Thursday, October 27, 2016 Report this

  • ginaa

    "If you look up" other city's contacts. My eyes can not see on my phone.

    Thursday, October 27, 2016 Report this

  • moreofthesame

    WarCitz....Generalize much? Let me summarize your contentions....The teachers are bad people....they're lazy, mean. indifferent, ineffective and they just don't care about anyone but themselves....Garpin gave you the reason for contracts....Which by the way, the teachers have reported to work even though they have no contract.....

    With all of your degrees you should be a little better with understanding the big picture at play here......

    ThatGuyInRI- you're another clown too....FYI on any given day there are 60-65 teachers absent. Which includes those out longer term for health or personal reasons. Today there were 83. That is out of 900 teachers.....That's some Sick Out....wow your really onto something there.....

    It must be your not so latent man-crush on Dr. Thornton......you spout his propaganda like the little sock puppet fanboy that you are......

    Thursday, October 27, 2016 Report this

  • WAquilante

    This stressful school year has taught me two things:

    1. My former and current students and their parents appreciate what I did and do for them.

    2. No one else's opinion matters.

    Thursday, October 27, 2016 Report this

  • WarCitz

    @moreofthesame-regarding garpin statement on contracts all of those items are legitimate and can easily be put into a policy and procedure document that is governed accordingly and when changes are required they are put thru an approval process. A contract is nothing more than a legal binding policy and procedures document.

    Which in the world outside of unions is how business (whether for or not for profit operates) and if you the employee breaks those policies and procedures you are terminated and if you do not like them as an employee well it is your free will to go find a job elsewhere for which you may be a better fit. I report to work EVERYDAY without any contract and do it for more than 180 days a year. The contract provides protections just like those policies and procedures along with the labor laws of the land. And just like in this world if you are not performing you are out, if your business is not performing you shut down. The "contract" allows for protections that once tenured in any union it takes gross negligence on part of the individual or law breaking to be removed from that position and even then it becomes suit after suit, performance seems to not matter. Hell, as a veteran we did not even have these protections.

    And the big picture at play includes the school committee, politicians, teachers, support personnel, etc. And I also wonder how many teachers in Warwick, A. Actually live in the district. B. Actually have their kid going to school in the system. I know a handful of teachers, administrators, etc. that have their kids at the private schools both elementary and secondary...explain that one!

    Friday, October 28, 2016 Report this