Tuesday, talks between the Shadyside Education Association and the Board of Education stopped without a resolution. Then on Friday, the SEA issued a ten day strike notice to school officials. If both sides can't reach an agreement, Shadyside teachers say they'll strike on Nov. 13.

SEA Rep. Jeff Mamone said, "We're not complaining. All we're asking for is a small piece of the stability that we've brought to the school district. We did declare a ten-day strike notice. Everybody's nervous right now, all the way around."

Mamone believes he and his co-workers have given all they can for the past five years.

Mamone said, "Five years ago, the school board and the superintendent then came to us and said we have a financial problem and we really need your help."

The groups came to an agreement then. But things aren't working out that way now.

Mamone says the teachers' association even offered the district a new salary index that would have saved the district $225,000 a year.

Mamone said, "They even took the proposal worth $225,000 a year and wanted to make changes to that. Everything we have done for the board and the administration has never been enough. They always want more from us."

Superintendent Terry Brinker said certain figures released by the SEA have been misleading. The district did not reject the last proposal from the SEA. He also believes the district needs to be fiscally responsible, especially now during these hard economic times.

In the community, reactions are mixed.

Jackie Tracey of Martins Ferry, Ohio, said, "I think the teachers have a right to expect better pay and better benefits, and if this is what's it's going to take to get it then they have to do it. But the school also has the right to hire substitute teachers to keep the kids in school and keep everything going on as it should."

Linda Valachovic of Shadyside, Ohio, said, "I don't see why they can't give those teachers a raise because the money they're going to waste to bring in substitutes they could be paying those people."

Tracey said, "The kids are going to be the ones to lose if they go out on strike. If they they stop substitutes from coming in and shut down the school, they'll be the big losers in all this."

Both sides hope to come to a resolution soon so all the kids will be able to stay in school. During these negotiations, they're also looking at ways to attract new teachers into the district.