The Sheridan School District notified educators on April 23 that staff health benefits will be discontinued as of May 1 due to the ongoing strike, while district leaders and the Sheridan Educators Association remain at an impasse in negotiations.
The district’s Human Resources office sent a mass email informing educators that their benefits would cease at the end of April. The message also stated that many employees may owe the district significant amounts—potentially hundreds or thousands of dollars—to pay back their April benefits.
Kate Biester, president of the Sheridan Educators Association and a social studies teacher, responded to the decision by saying, “Pulling healthcare benefits is another way that this district is showing they’re more interested in punishing educators for going on strike than getting us all back into our classrooms. Our negotiations are at a standstill because the district wants us to work without the basic workplace protections we need. Cutting us, and our families, off from basic healthcare access doesn’t achieve any policy goals here; it’s just cruel.”
The Sheridan Educators Association and Colorado Education Association are asking members of the public who wish to support striking teachers to contribute to a strike fund available at sheridaneducators.org.
As negotiations continue without resolution, both sides remain divided over key issues related to workplace protections. The loss of health coverage adds further pressure on educators and their families as they await progress in talks.
