H EADLINES
Barrack Continued from Page 4
support for the union and as a
nod to the Red for Ed movement,
a grassroots campaign that has
galvanized teacher activism
across the country in states
like West Virginia, Kentucky,
Colorado and Arizona.

“We started [wearing red]
as a show of our solidarity,”
Ziskind said. “Th ese are small
gestures that we can make. We
can walk around the halls, we
can see each other and know
that we’re not alone. We’re
together. Th at’s really what we
want is this sense of commu-
nity and collectiveness, and
that’s what the union does.”
Last month, the union also
started a Facebook page as a
place for teachers and their
supporters to interact and
A LIFESTYLE THAT LACKS
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which led to a strike.

“I would hate to think that
that’s something that would be
on the table again,” Ziskind said.

Th e situation with Barrack’s
union isn’t unique. Across the
country, the number of Jewish
day schools with unions has
dropped. Perelman Jewish Day
School, located just a few miles
from Barrack, withdrew recog-
nition of its own union in 2014.

Susan Miller, a Perelman
teacher who retired in 2016
aft er 25 years at the school,
said the decision drew a lot of
concern from teachers at the
time. She was not too con-
cerned personally because she
felt confi dent in her standing
both with the administration
and the community.

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We’re together. That’s really what we want is
this sense of community and collectiveness, and
that’s what the union does.”
MINNA ZISKIND
share information and support.

Th e page has so far garnered
more than 270 followers. Th e
page shares photos of teachers
wearing red and encourages
parents and alumni to share
stories of how Barrack teachers
have made a diff erence.

Gary Kaplan, a parent of an
alumnus and the spouse of a
teacher, said that his daughter
got a lot of one-on-one time
with Barrack’s teachers. He is
concerned that teachers might
not be able to keep doing that if
they have to teach more classes
as a result of this decision.

“I went to a big high school,
and I never had any one-on-one,”
Kaplan said. “It’s a great thing.

Education comes fi rst. I really do
love that part of Barrack, and I
think that will change.”
Ziskind also wondered how
the decision would aff ect the
school’s contributions to teach-
er’s retirement funds. In 2009,
the school attempted to make
cuts to the retirement program,
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Aft er the decision went into
eff ect, the school off ered senior
teachers a buyout, which put the
school in a position to hire more
teachers with less experience,
Miller said. She herself was not
in a position to take the buyout,
but many of her colleagues did.

She said the decision did not
impact her benefi ts.

The school, she noted,
encouraged and paid for her
to study at the University of
Pennsylvania and Columbia
University, both when the
union was there and when it
wasn’t, Miller said.

“My advice to the Barrack fac-
ulty is pretty much there’s noth-
ing you can do about it,” Miller
said. “It’s not going to change,
unfortunately. ... Keep your focus
on the job that you love and the
kids that you love that you teach.

Continue on. Th ere is life aft er
loss of a union.” ●
Call 215-814-0355 today to register for an info event,
arrange a personal tour or ask about special Charter Member perks.

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JEWISH EXPONENT
MARCH 14, 2019
9