JEFFERSON TWP — The South Butler School Board voted Wednesday night to approve the March 13 proposal they offered to its striking teachers.

They gave the teachers until Wednesday to also approve the contract proposal to end the strike.

School board member George Zacherl voted against the proposal and Jacqueline Pfeiffer abstained because she is a retired district teacher.

District solicitor Tom Breth, presumably in response to a Monday evening press release from the teachers' negotiator, Brooke Witt, that stated the district could easily afford to give the teachers what they are asking for without a tax increase, gave a presentation on how the costs of the teachers' requests would affect the school district.

Breth said the pay increases, retroactive pay to 2014, health care costs and other expenses in the teachers' March 6 contract proposal would result in annual budget shortfalls.

By the 2022-23 school year, the budget would have a $3 million deficit, Breth said.

The teachers who were allowed to ask questions at the end of the meeting seemed incredulous that the board would vote to approve its own contract proposal.

Several parents, teachers and taxpayers spoke passionately during the meeting's public comment session.

Most were in favor of the teachers or teachers themselves, but a few spoke out in support of the board for resisting the teachers' salary, retroactive pay, health care, early retirement incentive and other demands.

The teachers held a rally before the meeting that had 125 people in attendance.

Ian Babb, the president of the teachers union, spoke to the crowd, which included South Butler teachers and their union brothers and sisters from the Seneca Valley and Butler school districts.

“(The turnout at the rally) shows that our neighboring education associations understand our commitment to a high-quality education for students and think a fair and equitable contract encourages new teachers to enter the profession and helps them stay in the profession and become veteran teachers,” Babb said.

He said he has high hopes for a bargaining session planned for Monday night.

“I think we're closer together than most people realize,” Babb said.