Negotiations resume Thursday in St. Paul

SPFE Strike

Negotiations between the St. Paul Public School District and the St. Paul Federation of Educators resumed at 8 a.m. Thursday. The talks come as educators strike for the third-straight day, leaving more than 36,000 students out of school.

Thursday's meeting comes less than 24-hours after teachers, students, and parents marched through St. Paul streets, demanding that the district honor the SPFE's requests.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison addressed the picketers.

"It is a fact that no serious person can deny our kids mental health services," Ellison said on Wednesday as he thanked the crowd for their efforts.

In a media availability Thursday morning, a union spokesperson said that mediators called both sides back to the table, but there was no new deal that they were aware of.

In an email, SPFE outlined their demands:

SPFE wants the district’s $750 million annual budget to prioritize St. Paul students and families, while respecting and honoring the work of all of our educators. This includes:
  • More mental health supports in schools, including more social workers, counselors, psychologists, school nurses and behavior intervention specialists.
  • More multilingual staff to help our students and families who need interpreters.
  • Additional educators working with students with special needs and appropriate assignments for educators so they can give students more one-on-one attention.
  • Expanding restorative practices to build community and a positive climate in schools.

Educators’ current proposal represents just 3.4 percent of the district's total budget over the next two years to get students the supports they desperately need.