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Wednesday, March 30, 2005
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Hatch weighs in on temporary licenses for replacements Attorney general doesn't see strike as district hardship Associate Editor IRONTON -- Minnesota Attorney General Mike Hatch Tuesday told striking Crosby-Ironton teachers his office issued an opinion earlier that day stating the state Board of Teaching can't issue temporary licenses to replacement teachers on the basis of a district's hardship.
A strike, he said, is not a hardship in the same respect as a district's difficulty in hiring teachers because of an auto accident or an illness. It's not an event that's beyond the control of a school district, he said.
Hatch announced his legal opinion before a crowd of about 240, including teachers and their supporters, at Gary's Sports Bar and Grill in Ironton. Following Hatch was an energetic speech by National Education Association President Reg Weaver.
In comments after his speech, Hatch said he believed the district had four replacement teachers who had been granted temporary licenses. He said a 2000 amendment to the rule on temporary licenses may have been interpreted incorrectly.
Crosby-Ironton School Board chair Scott Kile could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.
Hatch also said he would call school board members and teachers' union officials in an effort to get the two sides talking.
"It's extraordinarily important to get people to talk," he told the crowd. "We support you. We want to see this thing resolved."
In comments after his speech, Hatch said he'd urge both sides to return to the bargaining table. He also said that sometimes new people can have more success in negotiations.
"Get back and talk," he said. "Sometimes in negotiations it's important they not get entrenched. It's OK to say no as long as they start coming back with a new idea."
Hatch was introduced to the crowd by teachers' union President Stan Nagorski as the state's attorney general and "the next governor of the state, I hope."
Asked later if there was more Gov. Tim Pawlenty could be doing to settle the strike, Hatch said he wasn't going to take potshots at the governor because the strike was a serious situation.
MIKE O'ROURKE can be reached at mike.orourke@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5860.
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