To Strike or Not To Strike

I have been wrestling with an interesting dilemma as a teacher, as a professional, as a Christian, and as a colleague. Last week, the union set a strike date for February 15. The BTU has been in talks with the city for some time now and believes we will not make serious progress. As a matter of fact, tomorrow morning, I'm being asked to picket for the first 20 minutes of the day. That will lead up to the strike which still needs to be ratified on February 14. To add fuel to the fire, the superintendent sent a letter threatening teachers with everything, including criminal prosecution and loss of licensure.

The question is: on which side of the picket line should I stand? The issues are fairly straight-foward: Health Care coverage and Class Size Caps. On the one hand, I want to support my colleagues and the people who work so hard to make sure I get my "fair" due. As a matter of fact, I'm very grateful to the union because I receive a comfortable pay and benefits package now, as well as very reasonable work requirements. I also don't want to lose any friends who feel strongly about the issue.

On another hand, I didn't come here to teach in order to get a comfortable work arrangement or good health coverage. I'm a teacher because that's what God wants me to do. I would work in the same school even if I were being payed a lot less. Sriking is against the law for public workers. I don't want to break a law either.

It comes down to the fact that I don't feel passionately enough about the issue to break the law, but my colleagues do. Do I alienate myself from them? What would happen if I crossed the picket line? Would my colleagues understand?

Maybe the answer is simple. Just get sick on the day of the strike and request a sick day. That way, I won't be breaking the law, and I won't alienate my fellow teachers. The more I look at it, the better I like that solution. Anyone have a communicable disease they can give me?

Back for Now...

While life carries on in the city (3 shooting incidents that have affected some of our students in the past month, politics of a new governor, major episodes of vandalism, etc) I've found it easier to take all that happens around me for granted. The violence, especially, becomes numbing because you hear of it so much. So it's in our front doorstep now-- big deal. Blah. Another homicide? That's the norm.

The danger in this kind of attitude is that not only do you become numb, and thereby escape the angst that comes with mourning for the city, but you also harden your heart and escape having to care for people. You have to remind yourself that it's not normal. You shouldn't have to be telling kids at this age that it's "a part of life" when they tell you their friend was shot and killed. Christians living in the city need to be sensitive to what's going on and never accept it as normal. Just like any other sin that we live with in this world, we are called to be strangers here-- that means the culture of violence should be apalling to us and we shouldn't allow ourselves to "get used to it." The innocence we carry is the hope of Christ which lives in us. That is the "light" in John 1 that has not been overcome by darkness.