Following an all-night bargaining session overnight Sunday, the mediators working to solve the Kent Education Association – Kent School District Contract Dispute dismissed both sides at 6 a.m. Monday and suspended bargaining.
The teams did not meet on Tuesday or Wednesday and are not expected to be called back to bargaining until after the 1 p.m. Thursday compliance hearing in front of Judge Andrea Darvas.
Darvas last week order teachers to end their strike and return to classrooms Tuesday with students to arrive Wednesday. Teachers on Monday, however, voted to defy the court order and continue their strike.
The compliance hearing was part of the Darvas’ original decision.
On Monday morning, both sides said they remained far apart on several major issues, such as contract language regarding class size.
Both sides are meeting at times determined by the mediators, which means that the two teams sometimes arrive to bargaining at different times.
In other news, the Kent School Board deferred its scheduled Sept. 9 meeting until Sept. 23.
According to District Communications Director Becky Hanks, there were no business items that required approval or reports scheduled on the agenda so the meeting was moved.
The KEA and KSD will resume negotiations at a time and date determined by the mediators.
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