7 Investigates: Uncovered hidden costs of North Shore school strikes – Boston News, Weather, Sports [Video]

Teachers on the North Shore put down their lesson plans and picked up picket signs.

Last November, teachers in Marblehead, Gloucester and Beverly all went on strike, fighting for better pay, benefits and improved working conditions.

Now, 7 Investigates has uncovered the hidden costs of those strikes.

7 Investigates found that the three school districts combined spent a staggering $732,000 in taxpayer money on legal fees, police details, and public relations firms during the strikes.

$449,000 was spent in Beverly alone.

“It was two weeks. It was just so long and I don’t think it was worth it,” said Melanie Knudson, a Beverly parent.

The biggest line item, the deployment of police at rallies and negotiations.

“If we’re trusted to work with students in school, we don’t need to be monitored by police during investigations,” said Andrea Sherman, Beverly Teachers Union President.

In Gloucester, where negotiations got heated, the school committee says security was “essential.”

Gloucester doled out more than $63,000 for police details.

In …