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Parents and students urge pay for teachers who covered classes without promised compensation
Summary
Public commenters at the board meeting urged the district to compensate teachers who covered classes after staff terminations, saying the extra work was expected to be temporary and that failing to pay sets a damaging precedent.
Three public commenters used the board’s public-comment period to press the district to compensate teachers who covered classes without receiving promised pay.
Christina Clark told the board she was speaking "for my colleagues," saying history teachers stepped in when classes lost instructors and that promises of pay were not kept. "My colleagues' feelings of duty towards students who were not their own were exploited," Clark said, adding that the decision not to compensate staff set a precedent she found demoralizing.
Student speaker Kristen Garcia Castayanos described her civics class being covered by social-studies teachers during planning periods after a teacher’s termination and said the teachers responsible "aren't getting the money they deserve" for extra duties such as additional instruction and grading. Parent Dominica Baron urged the board to find a workable way to compensate teachers and stressed that public education depends on supporting teachers.
Board members acknowledged the comments and noted the broader budget constraints facing the district as they consider supplements and local budget priorities. Several board members encouraged public advocacy to increase state funding for public schools.
What’s next: The comments were entered into the public record; board members and staff discussed budget priorities later in the meeting. The transcript does not record a formal policy change or immediate compensation decision.
