Teachers tell Sequoia Union board unpaid extra hour at East Palo Alto site is inequitable and unsustainable

Teachers and union representatives used public comment to press the Sequoia Union High School District board on an unpaid extra hour of work reportedly required at the East Palo Alto site, calling it an equity and retention problem that the district can address administratively.

"At East Palo Alto, where over 90% of the teachers and educators are people of color, we are still being asked to work an extra unpaid hour each week," teacher and site union representative Laura Nunes said. She recommended a directive ending staff meetings at 3:40 p.m. to align EPA with other sites and to show that equity is practiced rather than only discussed.

Chris Beley Haggler, a teacher at Redwood High School, echoed Nunes’ concerns and called for quick administrative or bargaining remedies to avoid continued burnout and loss of educators, especially BIPOC staff. Several other speakers—including Caroline Coleman, a veteran Sequoia High teacher, and Abby Corman—thanked bargaining teams for progress but said the unpaid-hour requirement should be remedied now, not deferred to future reopeners.

Speakers said the issue affects retention: only a small fraction of the original charter staff remain at EPA and several teachers have left for other schools within the district for equal pay with fewer unpaid duties. Commenters urged the board to direct administrators to remove the extra hour or to equalize the paid workday across all sites.

Board members acknowledged the comments and the bargaining process; SDTA representatives present said a tentative agreement will be explained to members with a ratification vote planned later in the week. There was no formal board action at the meeting on the EPA scheduling concern; callers asked the board to instruct staff to address the disparity before the next round of bargaining or administrative scheduling deadlines.