No New Talks Scheduled in Reynoldsburg Teachers' Strike

Attendance in Reynoldsburg schools took a hit as teachers went on strike. The Reynoldsburg Education Association went on strike Friday after contract talks broke down. District spokeswoman Tricia Moore says nearly a third of enrolled students were absent from class on the first day of the strike. "Looking at the numbers across the buildings that we were about 70 percent. I don't have numbers for (Monday) today." Some students had joined picket lines to support the teachers. Moore says the district considers a student truant after ten unexcused absences but after a fight broke out at the high school on Friday the district asked Reynoldsburg police for help. "The issue at hand was a matter of establishing the safety of students so I think a police presence can establish that students are where they're supposed to be," says Moore. Unruliness Reynoldsburg Police Lt Ron Wright says officers began more aggressive enforcement of laws against unruliness on Monday. "The school's administration has identified that that was a potential safety hazard problem that they were experiencing with the kids and they did reach out for police assistance," says Wright. Wright says no detentions nor arrests were recorded on Monday. Security was tightened around buildings too. Hired security officers questioned each visitor going into the district administrative offices and additional help was called in to answer district phones. Substitutes The district continues to hire substitute teachers. Candidates are given immediate interviews. Moore says the district had hired 180 substitutes by last Friday to replace the 350 union members who went on strike. Reynoldsburg Education Association president Kathy Evans says the district's response to student expression shows the district is 'desperate and was ill prepared' for a strike. The union had issued a ten day notice to strike earlier this month. No new talks are scheduled and the district is hiring substitute teachers.