One day after at least 55 teachers called in sick and put fear in the minds of district officials and parents, the Compton school "sickout" appears to be over.
Two Manuel Dominguez High School teachers still called out sick on Wednesday, but those two calls came with a sigh of relief after more than half the school's teaching staff didn't show up for work one day earlier.
District officials Tuesday night feared the "sickout" was part of a rolling strike that would continue across the district, and cited a preliminary investigation's revelations that it was a planned stunt.
But the teacher's union maintained the "sickout" was not planned and was the result of illness or personal matters.
"The Compton Education Association did not sanction a sickout nor a strike," Compton Education Association President Donald Sullivan told NBC4 on Tuesday. "It hasn't been planned."
Officials said if the teachers were to stage more sick actions, it would violate their collective bargaining agreement, and teachers could face severe sanctions.
Parents relieved that teachers came to school on Wednesday stayed after the first bell rang to make sure their children wouldn't see another day of a half-empty campus.
"I'm on the side where the student win. If the students don't win, then there's nothing that we can do now," parent Kinjia Ross told NBC4. "As far as the teachers getting paid, I understand, but they're leaving our kids out in the dust with it, so you really can't be on the side of anybody but the students in this."
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At least 53 teachers called in sick Wednesday across the Compton Unified School District, but officials told NBC4 that is normal.
