When students in Manchester return to school Wednesday, their classrooms may look a little different.
That’s because teachers there say they won’t be bringing anything into the classroom they purchased on their own, due to the city’s ongoing contract dispute.
Mayor Ted Gatsas recently vetoed a new teachers contract, which means this will be the third year in a row educators will be working without a raise.
In a statement issued Monday, the Manchester Education Association says teachers chose not set up their rooms early this year and will not be bringing any extra materials to the classroom.
The union warns walls could look bare, teachers may not have pencils to lend, and there may be a limit on how much paper students can use.
"We believe that the foundation of quality education is the level of quality of adults that are before your sons and daughters each day," the union says. "The extra materials that educators provide, such as posters, pencils, markers and crayons, are generally not provided through the funds of the school district."
Mayor Gatsas says the city couldn’t afford the proposed contract.
