Marblehead Teachers and School Officials: Moving Towards a Deal?

In Marblehead, teachers and school officials are starting to make some real headway in their talks. The Marblehead Education Association (MEA) President, Jonathan Heller, shared that after a long wait, negotiations finally happened face-to-face on Monday. He's hopeful that these discussions will lead to a new contract and get students back to school. The teachers have been on strike for over two weeks, and school was closed for the sixth day on Tuesday. Heller mentioned that the talks focused on important issues like paid family leave and job security for tutors and paraprofessionals. Wages are still a big issue, with a gap of about $5 million between what the teachers want and what the School Committee is offering. The MEA wants the town to raise taxes enough to fully fund the schools, including new teacher salaries. The School Committee, however, is looking for a smaller tax increase that might be easier for residents to accept. MEA teacher Caroline Todd noted that while conversations are a good start, commitments are what's needed to get kids back in school. Despite the challenges, Heller is optimistic about the progress made so far. The MEA members are also planning to join teachers from Beverly and Gloucester at a State House rally on Tuesday.