CAT Press Release May 4, 2002

The Cairo Board of Education, at the direction of its attorney, Barney Mundorf, continues to play games with its students, employees, and the public. Instead of negotiating with the Cairo Association of Teachers…as well as its other three unions…the District continues to threaten one and all with the premature closing of school. The Board of Education takes this position in the name of "fiscal responsibility", despite known FACTS:

· Closing the schools would cause the District to LOSE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS in state and federal funds…$22,000 A DAY in state aid alone…this according to THEIR press release.

· The children…ALL CHILDREN - not just the Seniors and 8th Graders - would LOSE OVER A MONTH OF EDUCATION.

· The District would LOSE ACCREDITATION by the state of Illinois.

A CASE IN POINT…Over the past week, devastation cause by the weather has dominated the news. The community of Cypress lost its school due to a tornado. The superintendent of the Cypress school district asked the state for special "dispensation"…due to "an act of God"…permission to close the school for the remainder of the year. The answer from the Illinois State Board of Education was short, if not so sweet…"No!" The ISBE told the Cypress school district that it MUST OPEN SCHOOL - or face a loss of state aid and accreditation.

If not Cypress, which suffered such a tragedy, then Cairo? The only tragedy in Cairo is that the Board of Education is determined not to honor the legally protected activity of its teachers…which may soon expand to other District union groups.

The District says it cannot meet the "demands" of its employee groups…stating that it is "broke". The day after the strike began, the District's own certified public accountant found an available $326,000!

The District cites "fiscal responsibility"…as it threatens to close the schools for the year. This would cost the District over $500,000 in state aid alone, and cause immeasurable harm to the District's 900 students through lost educational experiences.

Contrary to their public posturing, the Cairo Board of Education is practicing FISCAL - AND MORAL - IRRESPONSIBILITY! The Cairo Board of Education needs to stop playing games…and begin negotiating…TODAY!