The co-president of the Bristol Warren teachers' union said Friday that she has been "overwhelmed" by showings of support from the community since she and fellow teachers at the Kickemuit Middle School declined to show up for work Friday morning in response to what they say are serious behavioral and disciplinary problems at the school, as well as a lack of support from administration.

Kickemuit teacher Michelle Way DaSilva, co-president of the Bristol Warren Education Association, wrote in a message to a reporter just before noon that her phone has been ringing off the hook for most of the day.
"I’ve been overwhelmed with the showing of support and interest from our community," she wrote. "I haven’t stopped fielding messages and calls all morning."

However, she added that teachers have heard "nothing" so far from any school administrator.
At this point, she wrote, teachers are waiting for the statewide teachers' union to advise them on the next step. She said the National Education Association/Rhode Island (NEARI) will also be making a statement at some point Friday.

Friday's "sick-out" came as a result of discipline issues at the school and what BWEA officials said was a failure to come to a resolution with administrators on how to address those issues:

In calling the "sickout,' Brian Chidester, vice president of the teachers’ union, posted a statement on Facebook Friday morning describing why teachers were taking that action.