Schools
Students Walk Out, Protest PVUSD Teacher Salaries
Negotiators for both the teachers' union and the school district are due to meet Thursday evening.
A large group of high school students Watsonville walked out of class in just before noon Thursday to show solidarity with teachers who are involved in contentious contract negotiations with the Pajaro Valley Unified School District.
Students chanted "Pay our teachers" as they marched up Freedom Boulevard and Green Valley to the school district offices, passers by said. They briefly protested in the parking lot of the district office and on Green Valley Road.
The Pajaro Valley Teachers Federation, which represents hundreds of PVUSD employees, has been embroiled in labor negotiations for some time. Teachers' contracts expired during the summer of 2012 and, recently, teachers vowed to only work when contractual required.
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Teachers are asking for pay raises, more prep time and smaller classes. They say the district can afford to make the changes because of increased state funding.
District officials have said change is happening but that the shifts will occur slowly so as to be prudent with how money is spent.
Negotiators are slated to meet Thursday evening for the next round of talks.
This story was posted with the Patch mobile app. Send news tips to Jennifer.Squires@patch.com
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