CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — Tensions boiled over Thursday night as Clay County teachers filled the school board meeting, demanding better pay after months of stalled negotiations.
It started as a show of unity, but quickly turned into a call for change. Nearly a hundred Clay County teachers rallied outside the school board meeting, waving signs and calling for action after months without progress on pay.
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Teachers and members of the Clay County Education Association (CCEA) lined the sidewalks before the meeting, carrying signs that read “Teachers matter,” “I can’t afford to have kids because I teach them,” and “A+ District. F Pay.”
Some teachers said they’ve had to sacrifice personal needs just to make ends meet.
“My family hasn’t been on vacation in several years. I ignore medical concerns simply because I can’t afford to do it,” Danielle DeFalco, a Clay County teacher, said.
Once the meeting began, emotions continued to run high inside the boardroom.
“Fair will be for you to pay us every hour that we worked over our contract hours,” one teacher told the board.
Another teacher added, “It will be a miracle if payroll is made, then don’t be a miracle if there’s teachers left in this county by the end of the year.”
Teachers said they love their students, but without fair pay, many are struggling to stay in the classroom. They say losing good teachers only hurts those students.
“Board members, please make teacher pay a priority,” one teacher pleaded.
Negotiations over teacher pay have stalled after months of failed talks with the district.
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The union’s final proposal called for a $700 to $1,500 annual increase —roughly $30 to $60 more per paycheck. The district’s counteroffer, however, would leave nearly half of Clay teachers with no raise at all.
Many teachers said they already pay for classroom supplies out of pocket, making their take-home pay even smaller. One issue, in particular, sparked anger among the crowd.
“Once we found out that the school board was getting raises and we were not, that was a slap in the face to us,” one teacher said.
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Clay County Superintendent David Broskie responded during the meeting, saying the district is working to find solutions.
“We are trying to increase revenue. Of course we have to decrease expenses. There’s only two ways out of it,” Broskie said.
Dozens of teachers spoke during public comment, but after hours of testimony, the board did not address teacher salaries on the agenda.
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