San Bruno community rallies for teachers: Parents protest, keep students out of school at Belle Air Elementary to support educators

Teachers are asking to receive their first raise in nearly a decade, while officials have responded with a proposal to cut salary to close a $2.1 million structural deficit. The situation has become increasingly dire as officials consider laying off teachers as a possible budget balancing measure.

The negotiations have turned contentious for all parties. Teachers are preparing to enter contract mediation with officials, while community members have publicly criticized members of the Board of Trustees and Superintendent David Hutt.

Jessica Reese, a parent of a second-grader at Belle Air Elementary, said through conversation with her daughter, she discovered it was important for her family to participate in the sickout to express support for teachers.

“We talked about it and there are teachers that she really cares about, and they care about her, and she wanted to be supportive,” Reese said.

Due to the budget struggles, some teachers at Belle Air Elementary have begun looking for employment elsewhere, said Principal Michael Rothhammer.

“It’s a very difficult situation when people have not got a raise, and there is a possibility they have to take a cut in salary,” he said.

Rothhammer said he appreciated seeing the community rally behind teachers, but also recognized the potential conflict in parents taking their students out of class to express support for education.

“It’s unfortunate that it’s got to this point. We want students here. We want them here every day and on time because if they aren’t here, they aren’t learning,” he said. “But it’s a strong message that the community supports the teachers. They want their students to be successful, but it kind of seems counterintuitive.”

Superintendent David Hutt, in a public statement, encouraged parents to keep their children in class while the district works through financial difficulties.

“Please know that the budget situation has got our full attention,” he said. “Parents do not need to compromise their children’s education in order to get our attention.”

In an effort to close the budget deficit, the Board of Trustees has agreed to set class sizes throughout the district at 31 students per teacher.

Large class sizes have an especially profound impact on teachers at Belle Air Elementary, said Rothhammer, because nearly 75 percent of the students are English language learners.

“We have a disproportionate amount of teachers that are new teachers, and if they increase class size, that will push teachers out,” said Rothhammer.

He expressed dismay regarding the possibility of losing teachers.

“It’s disheartening,” he said. “When we have teachers that are stellar, it’s saddening to see that.”

Jennifer Carrade, a teacher at Belle Air Elementary, said despite the challenging circumstances, it was refreshing to receive backing from the school community.

“We really appreciate the support from parents,” she said. “I think with the rallying, the district will realize that parents are not happy with what is going on. Clearly the community is not agreeing with what the district is trying to do.”

Carrade said students led much of the rally, and started chants such as “no more cuts”

“The students know what is happening and they are really well aware of what is going on,” she said.

Meghan Clark, a teacher at Belle Air Elementary, said she is unsure whether the protest will have any impact on the way officials address the deficit, but it is sure to increase awareness.

“They will notice what happened today, and know that our parents mean business,” she said.

Carrade said the community support behind teachers will only inspire educators to work more strenuously in their effort to receive a raise while avoiding cuts to school personnel.

“This just makes us more focused and more driven to make a change,” she said. “We are going to work toward our goal even harder.”

austin@smdailyjournal.com

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