With packed picket lines on day two of the Las Lomitas Educators Strike in the wealthy communities of Atherton and Menlo Park, union teachers called on Las Lomitas Elementary School Board members to do their jobs, rein in an out-of-control superintendent, settle a fair contract and end the strike.

“Our school board needs to do the right thing. Our school board has the authority to end this strike,” Las Lomitas Education Association (LLEA) Co-President Jennifer Montalvo said at this morning’s press conference. “They need to feel the urgency to fix this. We need to get back to work.”

Last night, LLEA came to the bargaining table with a feasible proposal and a desire to reach agreement, but the school board wasn’t ready to negotiate in good faith. Despite the calls from Las Lomitas parents and community to end the strike, the school board and administration continues to drag their feet and play games – yesterday, they delayed the resumption of bargaining until 5 p.m., ending only a short time later when LLEA’s bargaining team was told that the school board didn’t want to stay past 8 p.m. to finalize a deal that would end the strike, even though LLEA was willing and able.

LLEA members were heartbroken that the district chose to spend more than $100,000 on a magician, substitute teachers, security and an attorney to unnecessarily prolong this strike another day rather than use those precious funds to support students. The LLEA Bargaining Team was ready to negotiate all night to reach a deal, and left frustrated with the continued disrespect and blatant disregard toward the Las Lomitas and La Entrada school communities and the families of Atherton and Menlo Park.

“We urged them to come to an agreement tonight so our students can return to their academics without further disruption,” LLEA posted on its Facebook page last night. “Unfortunately, the board made it clear they were unwilling to continue working toward a resolution this evening.”

Bargaining is expected to resume today, as LLEA continues to build a movement for the future of Atherton and Menlo Park students. Parents, community members, classified co-workers and educators from nearby CTA locals are joining the fight, building inspiring union power in the richest ZIP Code in the country.

“We are no longer individual teachers or community members – we are now a united force,” LLEA Co-President Daniella Lefer said this morning. “We know our worth and we will not back down until we are given what we deserve. And we will win.”

LLEA members have worked without a contract since July 2023. They are at a standstill due to the district’s failure to agree on a deal that retains and recruits qualified educators and addresses the high teacher turnover. Soaring housing and healthcare costs are forcing educators to take second jobs to survive.

“LLEA members are stronger than ever because we know this strike is worth it to win the schools our students deserve,” Montalvo said. “We are striking not only for ourselves but for the generations of students to come who deserve a school system that is supported, funded and able to offer them the best. We are striking for a future where teaching is a profession that is honored and fairly compensated, where students and educators can thrive, and where our students will benefit from that investment.”

As the gap in compensation widens between Las Lomitas Elementary School District (LLESD) and neighboring districts, it becomes harder to attract and retain educators. LLESD, once a leader in educator compensation, is falling behind neighboring districts, deepening a crisis where educators are forced to leave a profession they love. LLEA members are now the lowest paid compared to nearby school districts, forcing unprecedented turnover rates for the community – an inconceivable fact in the wealthiest part of the wealthiest country in the world.

“We are united by a common cause. One that transcends our classrooms and goes to the very heart of what it means to be an educator. It is because of our strength and solidarity that we are making a stand for what is right,” Lefer said. “This strike is not just about fair compensation. It’s about respect for the profession that we love. It’s about ensuring the future of education is one that values both our students and our teachers, who dedicate their lives to students one year after the other.”

Keep updated on the Las Lomitas educators strike by following on Facebook, and help support by joining them on the picket lines. And donate to the LLEA Strike Hardship Fund to help support Las Lomitas educators who are putting it all on the line for their students.