The Sheridan School District notified educators on April 23 that their health benefits will be discontinued as of May 1 due to the ongoing strike, while negotiations between district leaders and the Sheridan Educators Association remain stalled.
The district’s Human Resources office sent a mass email informing staff that their healthcare coverage would end at the close of April. The message also stated that many employees may owe the district significant sums to cover benefits received earlier in the month.
Kate Biester, president of the Sheridan Educators Association and a social studies teacher, said, “Pulling healthcare benefits is another way that this district is showing they’re more interested in punishing educators for going on strike than getting us all back into our classrooms. Our negotiations are at a standstill because the district wants us to work without the basic workplace protections we need. Cutting us, and our families, off from basic healthcare access doesn’t achieve any policy goals here; it’s just cruel.”
The issue highlights ongoing tensions between school administrators and teachers’ unions over working conditions and contract terms. The loss of health insurance could have significant effects on both educators and their families during this period.
Both SEA and the Colorado Education Association are urging members of the public who wish to support striking teachers to contribute to a dedicated strike fund through sheridaneducators.org.
