The teachers’ union of the Los Angeles Unified School District is nearing a strike, and in the event teachers walk off the job, more than just classroom activity will be affected.
The Los Angeles Times reports that the City Section sports season will grind to a halt if the strike, which may begin on Thursday, comes to pass. The move was announced in a Los Angeles Unified School District policy memo that was sent to the district’s principals.
At issue in the standoff is the teachers' contract, including provisions about pay raises, class sizes and staffing.
A strike would halt any scheduled practices and games, including playoff dates should the work stoppage stretch that far. If indeed the strike affects the playoffs, the City Section would attempt to modify scheduling so that eligible teams would still be able to take part in state competition events.
Practices would not be allowed to be relocated in the event of a strike, and would be considered a rules violation if they were. However, student-athletes may organize their own practices and workouts offsite.
Certain schools, such as independent charter schools, would be unaffected by a strike, as those teachers have separate contracts.