Cairo, IL -- May 6, 2002 A school board proposal that the Cairo School District be shut down for the remainder of the current school year cheats children, school employees and the entire community, teachers said today.

"The board seems to be trying to injure the teachers but they are hurting everyone who cares about our schools," said Ron Newell, president of the Cairo Association of Teachers (CAT).

"The board is proposing that the children be sent home for the summer without their education, that the taxpayers be cheated out of services they paid for, and that the district lose forever the state dollars received for every day of classes. The children of Cairo need and deserve a settlement," Newell said.

Newell said the district has lost $154,000 in state aid since the strike began, but that money is recoverable if the days lost to the strike are made up.

"The children of this district can't afford to lose those days of school and the taxpayers can't afford to lose that kind of state money. Our message to the board is let's settle this now for the sake of the entire community."

A federal mediator has scheduled a bargaining session between CAT and the Cairo school board for 4:30 p.m. Tuesday and Newell said the teachers are determined to remain at the bargaining table until there is a settlement. He said teachers want to get back to work immediately.

"This dispute is hurting children, parents and the community, including the teachers. The board can end the pain and we can be back in the classrooms on Wednesday if the board comes to the table willing to bargain Tuesday," Newell said.