At their meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 2, the Richmond City Council directed staff to help families and children who might be affected during the teachers strike slated for Thursday.
They told the City Manager to work with city departments to quickly set up short-term help. The city set aside up to $50,000 for emergency programs, services, or extra staff support as needed.
The efforts are meant to help families deal with changes to school schedules, supervision, and daily routines while the strike is happening. Council members talked about how fast the city could put support in place and stressed working with organizations already in the community. City staff said they were already looking at options through after-school programs, youth services, and community centers, and will keep working with nonprofit partners and share updates with the public.
United Teachers of Richmond, which represents West Contra Costa teachers, said Monday its members will strike starting Thursday, Dec. 4, after pay, staffing, and classroom condition talks with the district fell apart. The union stated there would be pickets at every school 45 minutes before classes, and families are welcome. Teachers will return once the district agrees to terms they say will stabilize schools and support students’ education.
WCCUSD Superintendent Cheryl Cotton said schools will stay open during the strike with meals, independent study, and basic services available. She said she understands teachers’ frustrations but believes a strike will hurt students, make staffing problems worse, and strain finances without fixing long-term issues.
