DUQUESNE, Pa. -- A long holiday weekend has been extended for students in the Duquesne School District as some 50 teachers took to the picket line on Tuesday.

Tom Sturm, the district’s communications director, said teachers felt they had little choice but to walk off the job.

“No one in this district has ever been on strike before, including myself...This is all new to us. We feel like we're forced into this position.”

Teachers and administrators have been in talks for months. The district said they're disappointed in the teacher's decision to strike, but Sturm said Duquesne teachers are the lowest paid in Allegheny County by more than 15 percent and this latest offer is just too low.

“The offer that the district has presented us just isn't satisfactory. Three percent given what everyone knows about inflation… We are just too far behind,” said Sturm.

Butch Santicola of the Pennsylvania State Education Association said the average teacher's salary in Duquesne is about $44,000, compared to an average countywide in the $60,000 range.

Santicola said now there's a concern by some about the future of the elementary school -- a result of the high school closing last year for financial reasons.

“This is unique. There's been speculation that the schools would close but what's going to happen if the schools close? They just can’t do it automatically.”

State educators took over the financially and academically plagued Duquesne School District in 2000. Last year, the high school was closed and students were sent to East Allegheny or West Mifflin.

Sturm says ultimately the teachers want to get back to the classroom.

“We hope this is a very minimal strike. That we can be back in and teach your children because we know that's what the teachers want, that's what the parents want, that's what the students want.”

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