Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1522302
they felt about Spencer and Luis being laid off and posted to social media. I talked to a few teachers on March 11 to orga- nize a one-mile march from school to the next district board meeting on March 26. We made flyers for the march and papered the neighborhoods." The march coincided with an SDEA rally outside the board meeting to demand that educator layoffs be rescinded district-wide.* On March 26, Roosevelt students, educators, parents and community members held signs, led chants and marched down a busy street. "Kids on a bus got off to join us, parents pulled up in their cars, elementary school kids joined us," LaVelle said. "By the time we reached the rally, we made up half of the crowd." Fowler, a seventh grade English teacher and SDEA member, spoke to news media at the rally about the impact of receiving a layoff notice. "I was devastated. This is my community. I work at my community school, I live in [nearby] North Park. To get that [pink slip] was devastating." In addition, one of LaVelle's students was interviewed by several news outlets. Earlier that week , Roosevelt educators and the prin- cipal held a communit y and parent mixer and invited board member Richard Barrera, with whom students had built a relationship. "Katie O'Malley talked to Barrera and brought him over to Spencer," said LaVelle. " We asked him why our teachers are being laid off. Our students care about them, these young men are role models." To the Roosevelt community 's relief, pink slips for both Fowler and Salas were later rescinded. LaVelle likes to think it was because of their collective actions. "I want that to be a win for the students," she said. Salas is grateful to fellow educators, students, the commu- nity — and his union. "Our union fights for our rights." * A total of 226 SDEA members were issued pink slips. The March 26 rally and other actions by SDEA and allies pushed the district to rescind almost all layoffs by mid-May. SDEA leadership continues to fight to keep all educators' jobs. "Kids on a bus got off to join us, parents pulled up in their cars, elementary school kids joined us. By the time we reached the rally, we made up half of the crowd." —Leah LaVelle, San Diego Education Association Roosevelt educators Leah LaVelle, left, and Katie O'Malley. Spencer Fowler speaks to the media at the March 26 rally. Luis Salas was one of multiple educators featured in SDEA's campaign to keep educators' jobs. 33 S U M M E R 2 0 24