Students speak out on looming teacher strike in Pueblo District 60

High school students in Pueblo District 60 left their campuses Friday wondering when they’d return, if, as expected, a teacher strike begins Monday.

“At least we still have prom this weekend, and sports teams will continue,” said sophomore Steven Lucero. “But I don’t want an early summer vacation and have to make up that time later.”

If a strike happens, students have many questions: How long will it last? How much time will they have to make up? Can they finish classwork and get final grades during a strike? Will they get any help from teachers? Will seniors graduate, get their diplomas and move on to college without delay?

“They really haven’t told us anything about that yet,” said senior Brittany Hennig. “A lot of kids are just excited to be out of school. I’ll probably just sleep in because I haven’t made any plans yet. But I’m hoping that if there is a strike, it won’t last long.”

An extended strike threatens vacations, jobs and summer activities.

Laurel Tedrow and Monica Aragon are recent graduates of Pueblo D-60 schools and are worried abut how the strike will affect their younger relatives, who attend one of the district’s three high schools.

“I think it just kind of sucks, them being out with nothing to do,” Aragon said. “That just gives them more opportunities to get into trouble or fall in with the wrong crowd. They just need as much schooling and education as they can get.”

KRDO NewsChannel 13 reporter Scott Harrison attended school in the Kansas City, Missouri district, where teachers went on strike twice in three years.

“They did it in my freshman year and my junior year,” he said. “The first time, we were in school until July 9 to make up the time. In my junior year, I told my teachers I had too many plans to go to school that summer. Fortunately, my grades were good enough that I was allowed to finish work ahead of time and keep my plans. But not every Pueblo D-60 student can do that. This is a new experience for them.”

And many aren’t quite sure how to cope with it.