Peters Township teachers’ strike affecting students
“Strikes ain’t fun, but they sure is exciting.” Alan Menken said it best in his hit Broadway show “Newsies.” This is especially true for the students of Peters Township, especially those in high school. While most students are worried about what grade they received on their English paper, PT high school students are concerned about being able to take AP tests due to the strike.
When speculations about a strike started in PTHS, students were excited because that meant no school for them. However, once the strike started and they realized there would be no holiday breaks, the excitement faded. Now students are worried about the pacing of AP classes. AP exams begin on May 2, meaning teachers will have to cram everything into the small amount of time that they have left. Some standardized tests occur as early as December, such as the Keystone exams and PSSAs. These students will have to work even faster to be at the same level as those from other school districts.
“The idea of taking AP exams at the end of this year has almost become a fairytale,” stated PTHS senior Sabrina Liu. “If an agreement isn’t reached and the teachers strike again in spring, AP exams will be impossible to even administer, let alone score well on.”
Not only are students nervous about AP scores, but also about their grades in general. With classes moving faster, students will have to work harder to keep their grades up. This will be especially difficult during the first few days back to school because the students won’t be in the correct mindset. It will be similar to coming back from summer break. However, with the first quarter not yet completed, students will need to work more diligently to get the grades they strive for.
Alan Menken had it right, strikes are definitely not fun. Hopefully this strike will end with a fair agreement for both sides, and a second strike will not be necessary. Thankfully, school will be back in session on Nov. 27. However, it will take an immense amount of work for students to get back on track.
Bailey Fink
Peters Township
Fink is a senior at Peters Township High School