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During the meeting, representatives of the Urban League and a Hispanic coalition called on both sides to make concessions in the interest of ''our kids.''
Bargaining sessions have been going on with little progress since the spring, and the teachers have been working under an expired contract since Aug. 31.
Before the school board meeting, school board member Keith Lilly, who has been acting as spokesman for the administration during contract talks, held a press conference during which he addressed Superintendent Delores Morgan's continuing absence from public meetings, saying she has serious health issues.
Lilly also focused on issues in the contract that have seemed to stand in the way of settling with the teachers.
''There are some outdated parts of the contract, a lot of old clauses that are impeding progress,'' Lilly said.
While he would not go into detail, Lilly named ''parents' rights, hiring qualified teachers, the number of teachers being tied to the number of students, and teachers' attendance at professional development activities'' as points of contention in the contract.
Lilly said he doesn't expect a strike to materialize.
''The last contract we went through was settled after this point,'' he said. ''I don't expect to get a strike notice.''
Lilly criticized Lorain Education Association President Teresa Starkey as being inexperienced.
''I'm not sure she understands the contract intricacies we have in front of us,'' Lilly said.
Starkey, who attempted to attend Lilly's press conference but was shooed out by district spokesman Dean Schnurr, bristled at the idea of being called inexperienced.
''I have 20 years of negotiation skills,'' Starkey said just before the teachers arrived. ''I was involved in sales management. That's a ploy to detract attention from getting this contract settled.''
After the meeting began, representatives from the Coalition for Hispanic Issues and Progress (CHIP) and the Lorain County Urban League made their concerns about education for Lorain children known.
''It's no secret that Lorain City Schools has struggled with providing quality education for our young people,'' said Fred Wright, president of the Lorain County Urban League. ''But now, here we are, at an impasse, and one that is going to affect our kids. There needs to be some concessions made here. Both sides are going to need to give.''
Sylvia Duvall, a teacher, spoke on behalf of the Lorain Education Association.
''It is both sad and grievous to me to realize that one morning in the near future, I may not be in the classroom when my children arrive,'' Duvall said. She compared the teachers' relationship with the district to a marriage. The picture she painted was not one of a happy marriage.
''The board betrayed our trust,'' Duvall said. ''In August, following the exchange of contract renewal proposals, the board demanded a mediator. In terms of the marriage metaphor, this betrayal hit us like a smack from a bullying spouse.''
Duvall accused the board of misleading the citizens of Lorain and ended her speech with a plea to the board: ''Come to the table and negotiate a fair contract. Settle this contract without a strike.''
Before the meeting, Lilly attempted to quash the rumor that unqualified teachers would be brought in as the result of a strike.
''Safety of the students is our number one concern. The people that are teaching the children would all be qualified, certified teachers,'' he said. ''We expect business as usual, children to learn and life to go on.''
Morgan was absent from the meeting, Lilly said, for medical reasons.
When asked about Morgan's perceived invisibility during contract talks, Lilly disagreed, saying Morgan has been in ''close contact'' with the district's bargaining team.
''The superintendent has health issues and is at home recuperating,'' Lilly said. ''Not from our perspective has she been invisible. I'm sorry the public feels that way, but she has some serious health issues.''
The next scheduled round of negotiations for the contract is Thursday.
