Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Gilroy educators, parents urge smaller classes and livable wages at school board meeting
Summary
Dozens of teachers, parents and students told the Gilroy Unified School District board that large upper‑elementary class sizes, rising behavioral needs and stalled contract talks are undermining instruction and teacher retention; speakers delivered a petition with more than 800 signatures urging livable wages and improved classroom supports.
Dozens of teachers, parents and students pressed the Gilroy Unified School District board on Thursday for permanent reductions in upper‑elementary class sizes and faster progress on educator pay and contract negotiations.
At the start of the public‑comment period, Marlene Orsetti Manzo, who identified herself as the district’s longest serving certificated employee, described “growing apathy, mental health needs, and behaviors” and said classrooms with 32–33 students make individualized instruction “simply not feasible.” She urged the board to adopt smaller class sizes so teachers can provide the “individualized attention” students need.
Several other educators…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
