Monday, October 27, 2014

Round Lake Teacher Strike-- Part 10: Orange Fences All Over My School

As angry as I was at the school board and administration for bringing on this strike, those orange snow fences infuriated me the most.  I even made up a sign saying "Don't Fence Me Out" taking from the old Bing Crosby song "Don't Fence Me In."

The fence also caused me to buy the "Don't Tread on Me" flag.

OCTOBER 19, 1994, DAY THREE OF THE STRIKE.

"I had a long talk today with Lt. D.W. of the Round Lake Beach police force about the fences and their presence.  He said they had done long studies on strikes and decided the fences were good because they clearly showed where people could and couldn't go.

"The police need to be there in case mob psychology takes over.  he says the police recommended that the board take these steps."

It was an interesting talk, but the fences were not needed, nor was police presence needed.  We were teachers, not likely to go on a rampage of destruction and mayhem.  The fences were put there to make us look bad and I'm sure that is what the administration and school board had in mind.  Same with the police being there.  The strike, however, did make the police a lot of money in overtime which I understand the district had to pay.

We have been out on the line in Waukegan three times and never even seen a cop car drive by the picket lines, much less park their cars there with an officer inside it.  And, there are no FENCES!!   The few other strikes I've been at have been officerless and fenceless as well.


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