I have it from more than one reader that teachers at Schalmont, in Rotterdam, are expressing their pique at their lack of a new contract by staying outside in the parking lot until the official start time of 7:30 a.m. and then entering the school en masse.

Students, meanwhile, arrive at staggered times on their buses and begin entering the building about 7:15, meaning that for the first 15 minutes or so of the day there is minimal adult supervision in the building.

In the labor game I believe it’s called “work to rule” – abide strictly by the contract, but don’t do an iota more, and see how management likes it.

One parent thinks it’s a dangerous situation, having all those kids in the building with very few adults.

I try to work up sympathy for the teachers, but then I remember that their old contract remains in full effect, as I have pointed out before, and it provides for bigger raises and juicier benefits than many people receive in the world of private employment, including the option of a $28,000 health insurance plan giving them free everything, and somehow the sympathy refuses to rise.

I think of them out in the parking lot at 7:25 a.m., making a righteous stand, and I think, maybe they ought to try looking for some other job.

Maybe they could find a gig that entails fewer work days, shorter hours, more money and richer benefits than teaching does, including earlier retirement -- and then maybe they could come back and tell me about it, so I could apply for it too.