The South Butler School District teachers, who have worked for almost four years without a contract, followed through on their threat to leave the classroom on March 15 if no contract was in place.

Brooke Witt, the Uniserv negotiator for the teachers, said they would picket during the mornings only until the date chosen by the state Department of Education when teachers must return to the classrooms.

Witt, in an impromptu news conference at the strike, refuted district solicitor Tom Breth’s recent claims that the teachers offered no proposals to the district when asked.

She said an offer was given to Breth through the state mediator at Wednesday night’s last-ditch negotiating session, along with an offer to negotiate based on the proposal.

“They declined,” Witt said of the district’s response.

A full story appears in the Butler Eagle.