SPOKANE, Wash. — Students rallied in downtown Spokane on Friday afternoon after Spokane Public Schools publicly issued layoffs notices to 325 staff members last week.
The layoffs include 182 teaching-level staff. Classified employees, including custodial and clerical staff, will learn about layoffs soon, according to district spokesman Brian Coddington.
A student reached out to KREM with information about the #saveourstaff student rally. The flier reads, “325 staff members of the SPS district with layoff notices due to a change in the state’s education funding. We won’t stand for it, will you?”
The students met at the Bloomsday runner statues in Riverfront Park at 3 p.m.
Students held signs and wore green and brown in support of teachers.
Students told KREM they were frustrated that SPS administrators didn't ask their opinion before laying off specific staff.
"They never come to us and say, 'What would you like to see us do?'" One student told KREM. "They always discuss it between the adults. We're going to be adults soon, too."
Another said one of her favorite teachers, who always has food when she doesn't have lunch or lunch money, is one of those laid off.
"She brings in stuff just for us to eat," the student said. "They're going the extra mile to make sure we have what we need."
This is the second student-led protest in less than a week.
On Wednesday, a group of Rogers High School students participated in a walkout over the layoffs. They chanted, “Save our teachers,” while holding signs that read, “We love our teachers” and “we won’t go down without a fight.”
A freshman at Rogers helped organize Wednesday's walkout at the school. She cited a high number of layoffs at Rogers and disparity among Spokane schools as reasons for the protest.
On Monday, students, teachers and staff at Rogers wore green and brown in a show of support for those affected by the layoffs. A Facebook page was created for the event called "Green and Brown for SPS."
Some people also posted on the event page that students and staff at other schools, including Ferris High School and Ridgeview Elementary School, wore green and brown in a show of solidarity.
