LTHS Aides 'Getting Short On Enthusiasm'

La Grange IL

11 November, 2021

9:01 AM

Description

LA GRANGE, IL — One of Lyons Township High School's aides told the school board that she and her colleagues needed to feel respected in their workplace. A number of aides attended the meeting. The school is in negotiations with the union for the aides, who are often called paraeducators or paraprofessionals. "We do want people to understand who we are," aide Mary Griffin told the board. "We have been told for years we have college degrees, we mostly live in the area, we pay taxes, that we are dedicated to our students. But we also want you to understand that we also need to feel respected in our workplace. Everyone is very kind to us, and we do appreciate that. But kindness does not pay the bills." She said paraeducators are considered essential workers. "Tonight, paraeducators were mentioned 10 or 15 times. Yet very often we're not mentioned otherwise, except if you need us or when you are short on staffing. Right now, we have an enormous amount of pressure on us. We are short on staffing. And we're getting short on enthusiasm," said Griffin, who started 14 years ago. She said she was with three students a day and that she has another six. She said aides know the students and their parents well. "We're just hoping you'll see us as essential as we know we are," Griffin said. "Support us through negotiations." The audience applauded. The district holds public input related to issues on the meeting agenda at the beginning of the meeting. But since the topic of school aides was not on the agenda, Griffin was required to wait nearly 3½ hours to speak during public comments for non-agenda issues. Most school boards allow input on all subjects at the beginning, rather than make residents wait until the end.