Little Lake Teachers Strike Disrupts Norwalk Classrooms
- About 200 Little Lake City School District teachers continued striking, disrupting classes across Norwalk and nearby campuses. - Union is pushing for class-size limits, more special education support, and to avoid steep healthcare cost hikes. - Talks have resumed amid a recall effort targeting all five school board members, drawing community tension (foxla.com).
About 200 teachers in the Little Lake City School District were still on strike Tuesday, leaving classes disrupted across nine campuses serving Norwalk, Santa Fe Springs and Downey. (foxla.com) The walkout began Thursday, April 16, after months of contract talks failed. The district is an elementary system founded in 1871 that serves about 3,600 students across nine schools. (foxla.com) (llcsd.net) The Little Lake Education Association says the fight centers on three issues: class-size limits, more support for special education, and a midyear health plan change that could raise some employees’ monthly costs by as much as $1,400. District officials say the old model of fully funded health coverage is no longer sustainable because of a shrinking budget. (foxla.com 1) (foxla.com 2) Schools have remained open during the strike, with substitute teachers covering classes. Superintendent Jonathan Vasquez was authorized earlier this month to hire substitutes at $500 a day, a rate union leaders said is about triple normal daily substitute pay. (foxla.com) The dispute has widened beyond pay and benefits into a fight over how the district is run. On Tuesday, union supporters moved to serve recall papers on all five school board members, while the district said it was still trying to reach a deal that protects its finances. (whittierdailynews.com) (foxla.com) This is the district’s first teacher strike in roughly 150 years, according to local coverage and district records. The union’s strike authorization passed with 94% support after a March 4 vote. (foxla.com) (llcsd.net) The district has told families that campuses, child care and after-school programs would continue operating during a strike. It also said teachers who walk out would keep health benefits while the stoppage continues. (llcsd.net 1) (llcsd.net 2) Bargaining resumed Monday after talks had stalled, but no settlement had been announced by Tuesday morning. That left picket lines up, classrooms running on substitutes, and contract talks still unresolved. (foxla.com)
