Teachers, supporters fill board room to protest negotiations

Teachers and their supporters packed the district board room in protest Tuesday. (Staff photo)

By Doug Spoon, Editor

Teachers and parents of students in the Menifee Union School District packed the district board room Tuesday to protest what they believe to be an unsatisfactory district proposal in salary negotiations.

Many in the overflow crowd carried signs of protest and several in the audience spoke out against the district, which is reportedly offering a 4.12 percent salary increase even though the district received an 8.22 increase in Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) funds this year. They were allowed to speak only after a district presentation intended to justify the district’s stance.

According to Marc Bommarito, assistant superintendent for business services, the district would have to take out a loan to make payroll if the entire COLA fund were to be allocated to salary increases. He also said that although the 8.22 percent COLA increase coming out of the pandemic is substantial, the fact the COLA increase is going down to 3.2 percent in 2024 makes a large salary increase unsustainable.

“The costs would outpace the funding coming in,” Bommarito said. He discussed the financial burdens of additional staff brought on to meet the demands of increased enrollment, plus escalating costs of books and supplies.

But Bommarito’s hour-long slide presentation and explanations didn’t sway the audience, as several speakers not only criticized the priorities given to COLA funds, but listed a number of other complaints, including:

-- The lack of any preparation time allocated to teachers – unlike many districts which reportedly allow teachers one class period a day to prepare lessons. Some teachers who spoke were nearly in tears as they described the many “out of contract” hours they must devote to class preparation, in addition to required duties before and after school hours and during PE classes. One speaker spoke of teachers crying in the break room and struggling to work on lesson plans during their lunch break.

-- A proposal by the district to increase class sizes from 30 to 34 students, taxing already overwhelmed teachers.

-- What teachers believe is a lack of sufficient support for special education students, who they say are often included in regular classrooms and denied the special attention they deserve.

“We deserve better,” said Heather Tortoreti, president of the Menifee Teachers Association. “How does a lack of planning by the district put us where we are? Delaying negotiations is a ploy for spending money [on other things] early to claim they don’t have the money [for salaries]. It’s insulting and humiliating.

“Don’t mistake activity for progress. It sounds like we have a money allocation problem here. You need to admit that your priorities need adjusting.”

“Seven years ago I was here speaking about the same subject," said Lisa Cameron, a resident and parent. “It’s shameful that teachers are having to leave their jobs to head to a second job just to make ends meet. Giving teachers half of the COLA money the district received is not a way to show the teachers or students that they are valued and respected.”

Another teacher who addressed the board said, “You know, ‘More for Less’ should be the district’s slogan. They are refusing to engage in cordial negotiations.”

By law, board members are not allowed to directly respond to speakers at public meetings, but all five thanked the many people who came and stayed through more than two hours of preliminary board business before the public comments period. No date for further contract talks was announced.