Mount Vernon teachers not backing down on demands amidst ongoing contract negotiations
Teachers say they have been negotiating for a contract for two years and have not received raises in three years.
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Demands from teachers in Mount Vernon for new contracts and fair wages are roaring loud. It all happened during a crowded school board meeting Thursday night.
Demands from Mount Vernon teachers for contract negotiations to speed up are gaining a new momentum of its own.
Coverage from Thursday night
David Israel is with the Mount Vernon Federation of Teachers. He is also a proud educator.
But right now, he and his team feel undervalued and underpaid. He says they haven't gotten new contracts in years and they are losing teachers fast to other districts that are paying more.
"If you have been in the district for a certain number of years, you are maxed out. I haven't seen an increase since 2021," says David Israel, with the Mount Vernon Federation of Teachers.
That's why coming to school board meetings are so important. However, the teachers want more space. One meeting already had to be canceled this week because the room was overcrowded. On Thursday night, teachers again came out in full force but not everyone made it inside.
"They said only 84 people could come into the room, we had well over 120 so we had people lined up on the side that couldn't come in," says Israel.
RELATED: 'We mean business.' Mount Vernon teachers stage 'walk-in' protest for contract negotiations
The school district's attorney says they encourage teachers to keep coming out but school leaders still have to follow the law.
"Security was called and police are here to make sure that we are in the confines of the law whether it's a fire hazard or anything else and that will continue to happen," says attorney for Mount Vernon School District, Royce Russell.
He adds that contract negotiations are ongoing.
