PHOENIX - Some West Valley teachers held a “sick out” on Wednesday, forcing nine schools in the Pendergast Elementary School District to close for the day.
Many of those teachers then headed to the Capitol, where they held a #RedForEd rally to get more school funding.
“When teachers are having difficulties paying rent, mortgage, even food on their tables, it is a crisis,” said Kassandra Dominguez.
The sick-out caught thousands of parents and students off-guard as they had to scramble after showing up to school Wednesday morning.
It is the first time since the #RedForEd campaign started that teachers didn’t show up to teach.
“There is going to be a ripple effect,” said Dominguez.
The first-grade teacher is warning Governor Doug Ducey that the sick-out is just the beginning and that other districts may follow suit soon.
The Pendergast School District serves roughly 10,000 students. Three of the schools in the district did not have to close its doors today.
Hundreds of other teachers were also at the Capitol, sitting in on several special sessions and meeting with legislators.
“We are still $1 billion — that's with a B — less of an investment into our schools today than we were 10 years ago,” said Arizona Education Association President Joe Thomas.
Derek Harris is a teacher in the Tucson Unified School District. He has been teaching in Arizona for the past three years after moving from Texas where he was teaching there.
“I took a 33-percent pay cut,” said Thomas.
Many teachers say they struggle to pay the bills on the salary they make. Teachers in Arizona make some of the lowest salaries in the nation, according to a 2017 study by Arizona State University's Morrison Institute for Public Policy,
“When every state around us pays more than we do, we have a problem,” said Thomas.
The Governor’s new budget proposal does provide more funding for schools, but teachers say it is not nearly enough.
Charlene Fernandez is a state representative. She has a daughter who teaches kindergarten in Arizona.
“We have teachers leaving (Arizona) today because they are not getting paid a decent wage,” said Rep. Fernandez.
The Arizona Education Association has more than 20,000 members. Thomas told 12 News his organization needs to see more funding soon or they could look to walk out.
“I think we are closer then we’ve ever been, something could happen before the end of the year,” said Thomas.
Teachers who walked out on Wednesday are expected back in the classroom on Thursday. The teachers will not face any discipline or be penalized.
The schools include:
- Desert Mirage Elementary School
- Canyon Breeze Elementary School
- Garden Lakes Elementary School
- Villa de Paz Elementary School
- Sonoran Sky Elementary School
- Sunset Ridge Elementary School
- Desert Horizon Elementary School
- Amberlea Elementary School
- Pendergast Elementary School
The district's president, state Sen. Martín J. Quezada, said his number one concern was to make sure students were safe and cared for, but added his board has done "all we can" to show teachers "we value the incredible impact they have on our kids, their families and our community."
"With the limited resources the state gives us, there's not much we can do," Quezada said. "All educators deserve to be heard and respected. The governor and the legislature are doing neither right now. It's time to listen."
