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<p>DALLAS TWP. &#8212; As Dallas teachers remain out on strike, school district parents plan to stage a peaceful protest from 10 a.m. to noon today in front of the Dallas administration building.</p><p>&#8220;I do not intend to bash either side,&#8221; said Joanna Cunningham, demonstration organizer. &#8220;There will be strict guidelines on what our posters can say.&#8221;</p><p>Tensions between parents, teachers and the school board have increased to a volatile level as students remain out of school due to the Dallas Education Association strike, which started last Friday.</p><p>The state Department of Education requires classes to start again Oct. 19.</p><p>&#8220;It is already a battle of wills,&#8221; Cunningham said. &#8220;We want to create a presence, not a battle.&#8221;</p><p>The goal of the parent strike is to encourage both the union and the school board to enter binding arbitration, which would require a neutral third-party mediator to review proposals from both sides and create one that both sides are obligated to enact, she said.</p><p>Recently, the school board wanted to enter voluntary non-binding arbitration, but the union refused.</p><p>Voluntary non-binding arbitration involves both sides agreeing to let a third-party mediator review proposals and develop an offer. Both the union and district would have to agree to the new plan to enact it. If either party refuses, the negotiation process starts again.</p><p>&#8220;We want someone to come in and settle this,&#8221; Cunningham said.</p><p>In November 2016, teachers went on a 22-day strike, which exceeded the return-to-class date of Tuesday, Dec. 13, set by the state. Teachers and students instead returned to school Monday, Dec. 19.</p><p>The 2016-17 school year continued to be plagued by contract negotiations as the union filed multiple intent-to-strike dates.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Members of the Dallas Education Association are shown during a strike picket last Friday. Now, Dallas School District parents will be on the picket line to urge both sides to enter a binding arbitration process. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_DSDstrike4TONED-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Members of the Dallas Education Association are shown during a strike picket last Friday. Now, Dallas School District parents will be on the picket line to urge both sides to enter a binding arbitration process. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Eileen Godin</p><p>egodin@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Eileen Godin at 570-991-6387 or on Twitter @TLNews.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Now it’s their turn: Dallas School District parents will picket Friday