Hudson School District to Hold Listening Session Tonight About Feb. 18 School Closure

The Board of Education is holding a listening session during its tonight at to address the school closures on Friday, Feb. 18.

Many teachers used the district's automated substitute teacher request system to make arrangements for substitutes prior to Feb. 18, but the number of requests overwhelmed the supply of qualified and willing substitute teachers. 

Many teachers traveled to Madison that day to protest Gov. Scott Walker's budget repair bill. The bill limits most collective bargaining for teachers and some other state workers.

On Feb. 19, Hudson Teachers Union President Scott Ellingson said, "It attempts to repair the budget, but then it goes way beyond that by taking away the rights of workers in Wisconsin. The teachers union is saying that we can live with belt-tightening provisions and the health care provision, but we don't want to do the collective bargaining provision."

On the afternoon of Feb. 18, Hudson School District Superintendent Mary Bowen-Eggebraaten said that earlier in the week teachers and staff members were strongly urged not to call in sick.

"I'm extremely disappointed in our teachers and support staff who chose not to come to work today. That caused us to close school and disrupt the learning of students, and inconvenience our families," Bowen-Eggebraaten said. "On the other hand, I want to commend our teachers and support staff who were here to educate our students. I particularly want to commend our custodians, who were at our buildings in the morning—and they are union members."

Bowen-Eggenbraaten acknowledged the disruption that the school closure caused for Hudson families.

"The administration is extremely sorry for the inconvenience to our students and their families. We are very disappointed that we were not able to hold school as usual. I'm sorry for the inconvenience it caused for many, many of our families," she said on Feb. 18.

At tonight's meeting, Bowen-Eggebraaten will present the district's rationale for closing schools that day and attorney Mick Waldspurger will facilitate public comments.

During , organizers handed out fliers with information about the meeting that said, "Show support for your local teachers!," and "Wear red and speak in support of our teachers!"

The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in the River Crest Elementary School's Multi-Purpose Room.