On Wednesday, October 23, Las Lomitas Elementary School District teachers left their posts to picket in front of La Entrada and Las Lomitas schools. After going over a year and a half with no contract, lower pay than teachers in neighboring districts, and a board unwilling to accommodate their requests for higher pay, teachers felt they had no other choice but to go on strike. Teachers were supported by parents, students, and other faculty members such as bus drivers in their fight for higher pay.
For the last year and a half leading up to the strike teachers have been negotiating with the district board for a pay raise. On Tuesday, October 22, teachers posed an ultimatum to the school board. This was the board’s final chance to meet the teacher’s requests of a 10% raise and better health benefits. The board’s final offer was a 7% ongoing salary increase beginning this year, a 3% ongoing salary increase beginning next year, and health benefits equal to 100% coverage of a Kaiser individual plan beginning in 2025. The teachers declined this offer. After this exchange tensions were high between the board and teachers.
Teachers began picketing early Wednesday morning around 8:00, when the typical school day at La Entrada and Las Lomitas began. The schools remained in session, but with a shortage of substitute teachers and no bus drivers, attendance was made optional. Kids who chose to attend school spent the day in large groups in the school’s gyms.
La Entrada is located in Menlo Park and Las Lomitas is located in Atherton, making the schools located in some of the wealthiest zip codes in the US. The cost of living in San Mateo County had become too much for the income of the teachers to pay. Many teachers worked more than one job in order to earn a livable wage. It is important to note that many teachers support themselves and their families, and subsequently require a higher salary. In addition, multiple teachers were forced to leave the district and seek work elsewhere, with some even leaving the Bay Area altogether.
On Saturday, October 26, the board and teacher union met once again, where the teachers and the board finally reached an agreement along the lines of the teacher’s request. The final agreement was an 8% ongoing salary increase beginning this year, another 8% beginning next year, and health benefits equal to 110% of a Kaiser individual plan starting in 2025. With this agreement, the strike was ended. However, while the teacher’s strike was successful, the board warned that there may be financial repercussions in the future because of the salary raises. Regardless, school resumed and was back to normal by Monday, October 28.
Teacher pay is a highly debated and controversial topic, due to the importance of teachers to the education system. Without teachers, there would be no way to educate kids. Supporters of unions and equal pay believe teachers should be paid more due to the importance of their jobs while others recognize budget constraints and support their district boards. Religious Studies teacher at SHP, Ms. Theresa Carino Petersen stated that “teachers need to be paid more” and also recognized that “we’re fortunate to be at a location that really prides itself on teachers and gives teachers support.” She highlighted the importance of supporting educators and thinking about how salary affects teachers’ lives.
Students at SHP also shared their perspectives on the strike, agreeing with the importance of teachers. Allison Mu ‘27 emphasized that “it is really important that teachers can stand up for their own rights.” By going on strike Las Lomitas School District teachers exercised their privileges to protest and their rights as part of a union. Saara Wallace ‘27 brought to attention the amount of work teachers do, stating, “I think it’s really important teachers get paid fairly, they are some of the hardest working people on the planet.” The strike serves as a reminder of the broader conversation surrounding teacher compensation and the challenges educators face, especially those who live in wealthier areas such as Menlo Park and Atherton where the cost of living outpaces wages.
Las Lomitas Teachers Triumph After Strike for Fair Pay
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