Senior class president supports teachers

The president of the Greencastle-Antrim High School senior class spoke out for the teachers at Thursday night’s school board meeting.

Jacob DeCarli said he was there on behalf of the students to express how much they appreciate their hard-working teachers.

His comments come as the Greencastle-Antrim Education Association and the school board remain at odds over a new contract. The teachers, working under the terms of a contract that expired on Aug. 31, have twice voted to accept the terms of a fact-finder’s report, while the school board has twice voted to reject the terms. The teachers also have given the bargaining team the authorization to call a strike if necessary.

“Our Greencastle-Antrim teachers have a special gift — while they are not our parents, they may as well be our part-time parents … we receive essential life skills from our teachers during our careers at G-A,” DeCarli said.

He said teachers dedicate much of their lives to students, serving as coaches, leading clubs and youth groups and volunteering at activities like dances.

“We are a blessed community to have such outstanding teachers who care for our students,” he said. “They deserve to be rewarded fairly for all of their hard work.