CLEVELAND — On Tuesday, a group of students walked out of class at East Tech High School, protesting the transfer of several teachers to other schools.
At 12:30 p.m. on the dot, students walked right out of class, yelling and carrying signs that read, “Protect Our Teachers” and “Leave Our Teachers Alone.”
“We've heard that the Cleveland Metropolitan School District is currently trying to remove teachers from our building,“ said East Tech senior Chyanne Randall. “These teachers mean a lot to all of us, and seeing them go isn't fair, and we all agree that seeing them go isn't fair.”
The protest comes after CMSD transferred four East Tech teachers to other schools as part of the district's effort to align staffing with enrollment.
In a statement, the district wrote:
“Students conducted a protest walkout today at East Tech High School. They expressed concerns about the recent transfer of a few teachers. Fall staffing adjustments are made each school year to ensure staffing levels align with actual enrollment and student needs across the District. In this case, four teachers at East Tech were reassigned to other CMSD schools as part of the process agreed to in our union contract. East Tech remains fully staffed, and students continue to receive instruction from our educators. We respect our students' right to express their views if it is done safely and respectfully. In this instance, the protest remained orderly, and students returned to class afterward.”
For some teachers, the changes hit close to home.
“I'm part of the team that's mainly affected by this, the 10th grade team, and we kind of were keeping it a little under wraps so that we could continue teaching and keep them focused,” said Chris Thompson, a teacher at East Tech.
East Tech teachers say moving staff around can also mean disrupting the bonds they've built with their students.
“They're used to their teachers. They've built relationships. Those relationships are now going to be slightly changed and altered, which again, we know we have to grow. But at what cost is it going to be?” said Tameka Gray, East Tech ninth-grade teacher.
But while teachers acknowledge the changes are difficult, they say they're proud to see their students stand up and speak out.
“I love seeing my students being engaged in civic involvement. I mean, that's what we want,” Thompson said.
“I think it's awesome. I mean, it's just a great feeling to see that the students are uniting for a positive cause,” Gray said.
For students, these teachers are more than just staff members. They're part of their education, their growth, and, for some, their school family.
“I want to start our school and try to keep these teachers. They're important. They will help us grow, and they will help them succeed if they're building bigger, bigger, brighter, bigger futures plans," Randall said.
Nadeen Abusada is a Cuyahoga County and immigration reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on Instagram NadeenAbusada or email her at Nadeen.Abusada@wews.com.
