Christmas comes early to CMSD

CLEVELAND - The Cleveland School Board restored preschool, high school transportation and spring sports programs Wednesday night after a contract containing wage and benefit concessions was ratified by the board and the Cleveland Teachers Union.

"This is truly a Christmas present for our students and our parents and for us," preschool teacher Sara Burdette said.

The programs were going to end in January because of a $13 million dollar budget deficit. However, after five days of voting, teachers ratified a contract that frees up about $7 million. The teachers agreed to give up three and a half days of pay and shoulder an increase in health care costs.

"The fact that preschool was going to be cut and high school transportation was going to be cut was weighing on a number of teachers," union officer Tracy Radich said, "and our teachers showed once again that they are willing to make sacrifices for the betterment of the students in Cleveland."

It's the second year that teachers have agreed to economic concessions. In a press release, union president David Quolke said that while the second year of concessions drew criticism from some members, 62% cast their votes in favor of the contract.

The agreement also allowed the school board to recall 12 school nurses.  However, security officers who were laid off earlier this month will not be recalled.

CEO Eric Gordon expressed his gratitude to the teachers for ratifying the contract.  He said custodians, truck drivers, and non-union employees have also agreed to concessions.

"The teachers contract is certainly our largest contract and so financially it has the most impact," Gordon said. "But any employee who has contributed wages and benefits should claim this as a victory for their efforts today."