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Parents, students and teachers press Walled Lake board for a fair contract and staffing fixes
Summary
Dozens of public commenters urged the Walled Lake Consolidated Schools board to prioritise a new teacher contract, contend with teacher departures and strengthen special-education supports; speakers cited comparative pay, program spending and asked the board for more transparency and urgency.
Public commenters at a Walled Lake Consolidated Schools Board of Education meeting pressed trustees to resolve a yearlong lack of a teacher contract, arguing low pay and staffing shortfalls are harming students and driving educators out of the district.
At the public-comment time, parents, teachers and students described the situation as urgent. Lauren Jaffe said families “do care about schools,” and asked the board to share research backing statements that families no longer choose where to live based on district strength. Erin Johnson, a parent and recruiter, told the board the lack of a contract is “stressful, frustrating and demeaning,” and cited national research on the high cost of replacing teachers.
Several speakers contrasted Walled Lake’s compensation with neighboring districts and asked for openness on budget choices. Jennifer Russell said she believed the superintendent’s total compensation was “over $404,000” and asked the board why administrators’ packages appear larger than what teachers receive. An eighth‑grader, Zachary Clavin, told the board he supports teachers’ “fight for a fair contract” and questioned $1 million-plus spending on the I‑Ready program given mixed results in the district.
Other speakers raised classroom and program concerns. Rachel Settle described overcrowded fourth‑grade classes “around 30, 31,” limited media‑specialist time split between schools, and uneven supports for students with individualized education programs. Kimberly Alpert urged trustees to act now and prioritize competitive compensation “so we don’t lose great teachers.”
Board members repeatedly thanked speakers and said they hear the concerns. Trustees acknowledged constraints around negotiations and limited public comments they can make during active bargaining, while promising to continue work toward a fair contract and to consider structural supports for classrooms.
Next steps: speakers urged a swift, transparent commitment to compensation and staffing; the board did not announce a contract settlement during the meeting.
