Easton School District and Teachers Union Meet

With a vote on the proposed 2011-12 Easton Area School District budget just hours away, the district and the Easton Area Education Association have issued a press release saying the two parties are working out differences.

The release, which has been posted on the district website, says that the district and association met up on Tuesday to “discuss the current status of the crisis in the Easton Area School District.”

“We understand there are challenges to overcome and are committed to the common goal of finding solutions to achieve sustainability in educational programs as well as positions,” the statement said.

The school board is currently holding an all-day workshop to finalize the proposed budget. A vote on the budget was scheduled for Wednesday evening, as was a rally by the teachers union in support of the proposal it made to the district. 

"We are truly coming together," board president Kerry Myers said today during workshop meetings. "Hopefully we won't have to do some unfortunate things."

There is a special Board of Education meeting scheduled for 6:30 tonight to vote on the proposed budget.

Last week, Kevin Deely, president of the Easton Area Education Association, announced in a YouTube video that teachers would hold a rally at 6 tonight outside of the district offices at 1801 Bushkill Drive, Forks Township.

District officials say there is a $12.9* million budget deficit and without an imposed salary freeze some 160 teacher positions and several school programs will have to be cut.

But as of Wednesday afternoon, the board hadn't made any cuts, as it was still hearing from various departments about their spending plans. 

This number was incorrect in the original version of the story.