Gilroy educators, parents urge smaller classes and livable wages at school board meeting

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 echoed that theme. Nikki Estacio, a teacher who said she has taught in the district since 2009, said her classroom has 33 students, including multiple students with IEPs and 504 plans and a wide reading‑level range. Estacio said the workload—managing extreme behaviors, small‑group instruction, grading, meetings and planning—exceeds what one teacher can do in a school day.

Tracy Johnson, a 22‑year teacher, said the district has had no updated contract and that “salary and class size are not abstract issues.” Johnson said she has 33 students and described the mix of English learners, students with IEPs and students with significant behavioral needs; she urged the board to “put classrooms first.”

A community representative who introduced a petition said more than 800 community members have signed in support of the Gilroy Teachers Association’s proposals for livable wages and improved conditions. Tina Febella, a 25‑year educator, read a string of messages from petition signers arguing that pay and manageable class sizes are necessary to retain quality teachers and preserve student learning.

The public comments included a student voice: fifth‑grader Violet Wharton, who said she is hearing impaired and dyslexic, told trustees that larger classes make it harder to learn and that she wants teachers to have the support they need to help students.

Context: Trustees and district staff discussed several staffing and contract items on Thursday’s agenda, including renewals for therapists, nurses and behavior technicians. Board members asked staff to provide follow‑up information on staffing capacity and on how contracted services will be used to address the district’s needs.

What’s next: Public commenters asked the board to prioritize class size reductions and to accelerate contract negotiations; the board did not take new action on class‑size targets during the meeting but approved multiple staffing contracts and directed staff to return with additional materials on capacity and programs.