PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia School District agreed Thursday to give back pay to 50 Masterman teachers who sued over having their wages docked for an asbestos protest a few years ago.
In August 2021, Masterman teachers worked in the courtyard outside the school during two prep days over concerns about conditions inside.
This past August, teachers sued the district in federal court, claiming their First Amendment rights were violated.
Now, the school district has agreed to “reverse those disciplinary notices, correct the teachers’ records, and pay the sum of $37,000,” according to their Attorney, Mary Catherine Roper.
She says any money left over will be put into a fund the teachers can use to advocate for environmental safety in their school. Roper says one thing the teachers did not get is detailed information about the extent of asbestos in the building.
"After all this time, they still aren't able to get the information that they care most about, which is to know that their school is safe," Roper said.
In a brief statement on the case, the school district said, “the district has mutually agreed upon a fair and reasonable resolution of these claims,” and that they are “laser-focused on building and maintaining a welcoming and supportive environment for students and staff.”