When the teachers' union at Ottawa Township High School went on strike for more than three weeks this fall, the common lament among parents was that teacher strikes are allowed to happen at all.

"Something should be in effect as to how long this can last," Sheri Lawson, the mother of an OTHS student said during the strike. "It's not the students' fault this is happening."

Lawson said her concern wasn't about who was right in the situation; her concern was getting her child back to class. Other parents said the same thing, asking why their children were missing out on their education and extracurricular activities while the board and teachers battled over a contract.

Members of the delegate assembly for the Illinois Association of School Boards have heard these kinds of complaints for years and voted Nov. 21, during the annual IASB convention, to seek and support legislation that would forbid public school employees from going on strike.

At present, only 13 states permit teachers to go on strike. The IASB would like to see legislation whereby Illinois would no longer be one of them.

Among those voting at the delegation assembly was Jack Cantlin, a long-time member of the Community Unit 2 School District Board of Education, which includes schools in Serena, Harding and Sheridan

He said during a strike, parents commonly ask, "Where are our rights to get our children back in school?"

The IASB would like to see legislation similar to laws that forbid public safety service workers from striking.

"Much like police and fire service, a community's public school system is a taxpayer-funded entity essential to the stability and growth of that community," the IASB said in a press release. "Under no circumstances are police officers or firefighters permitted to strike, and for reasons of public safety, teachers and other school employees should be classed along with them as 'too important to strike.' "

Under Illinois' school code, teachers have had the right to strike for 30 years. Prior to that, teachers were not permitted to strike. If the IASB has its way, legislation would be introduced next year that, if approved, would do away with the option for teachers to strike in Illinois.

The delegation included representatives from 375 school districts. The resolution in support of legislation that would prohibit teachers' strikes was approved by "and overwhelming majority by a show of hands," according to the press release.

However, some members of the delegation — including OTHS board member Wayne Fleming — voted against the legislation. OTHS Board President George "Skip"Hupp said the board opposed the resolution because if strikes are not allowed and the contract cannot be settled, then the two parties must arbitrate, as is done in states where strikes are prohibited.

During the OTHS strike, the board had not wanted to arbitrate, said Hupp.

"Arbitrators tend to be pro-labor and we didn't want someone outside of the district making the decision," he said.

OTHS Education Association President Glenn Weatherford said he had no reaction to the decision by the IASB to pass the resolution, only that he was not surprised.

Others who opposed the legislation said it would create a split in the working relationship between the school boards and the teachers' unions, something many school boards have worked hard over the years to cultivate.

The resolution will be presented to Illinois legislators and individual school boards may also offer their own resolutions in support of creating this legislation. For more information about the delegate assembly, visit the IASB Web site at www.iasb.com/jac09.