By Dan Sokil
Staff writer

Harleysville resident Jill Basile was a student at Neshaminy High School when that district suffered through a teachers strike.

"It lasted almost three months, it was ridiculous. And ever since then, I've said, 'I hope my kids never have to go through this, and now my daughter is," Basile said.

That's why Basile is organizing a public meeting to discuss House Bill 1369, the Strike-Free Education Act, that would make teacher strikes like the one last month in Souderton Area School District illegal in Pennsylvania.

"I found out about StopTeacherStrikes.org by actually doing some research online myself. They're a local organization that is trying to ban teacher strikes here in Pennsylvania, and they're trying to pass this House bill," Basile said.

Guest speaker Simon Campbell is a parent from Yardley, whose three children were kept out of school for a month by a teachers strike in 2005.

"We've just mobilized into a grassroots organization to try to fight to get the law changed. We've had legislation introduced, and now we're just on a major push to educate other people about it," Campbell said.

That push will reach Souderton Area on Oct. 13, when Campbell will speak at the Indian Valley Public Library, 100 E. Church Ave., Telford.

"What we're trying to do is basically to get people to see that we, as parents and as taxpayers, need to be heard," said Basile.

"We are tired of this school board, we are tired of the teachers union, and we feel the teachers should not be allowed to strike," she said.

The town hall meeting will start at 7 p.m., but seating will be limited.

"I've had an outpouring from support from the community, of people e-mailing me asking, 'What can I do to help you? What do you need me to do?'

"And everybody that I've handed brochures to, or even just told about it, wants more education on this," she said.

Campbell will be ready to answer any and all questions, including how long the Souderton Area strike situation could last.

"The kids are back in school, but the conflict is not settled. They could still go on

strike in a second year, or any future year, so this is definitely an ongoing issue locally," he said.

On his Web site, StopTeacherStrikes.org, Campbell provides information on the current dispute in Souderton Area, as well as one in Saucon Valley outside Bethlehem.

According to Campbell, Pennsylvania is one of only 13 states in which teacher strikes are still legal.

"Right now in Pennsylvania, 112 school districts have expired union contracts, so there is a tremendous amount of strike potential around the state," Campbell said.

"A lot of parents may not even be aware their school is under an expired contract, but the current law says the union can shut down schools on just two days' notice," he said.

That's why Basile says any taxpayer, not just residents of the Souderton Area School District, is welcome at the meeting.

"What about the seniors? It stinks that they're on strike this year, there are some students who couldn't even get their transcripts because they were on strike," Basile said.

"I pay my taxes, so I pay their salaries. You're supposed to be role models, so don't go on strike, and stop setting a bad example for my children," she said.