The 92 united members of Las Lomitas Education Association (LLEA) are on strike in Menlo Park and Atherton for a better future for Las Lomitas students.

In the wealthiest ZIP Code in America, Las Lomitas educators walked out of their classrooms and onto picket lines after Las Lomitas Elementary School District (LLESD) management refused to provide the resources needed to recruit and retain the educators Las Lomitas students deserve. LLEA members started picketing this morning after a final effort to reach a fair agreement was abandoned by district management – with the district’s team leaving the bargaining table last night and embarrassingly refusing to return.

“After last night’s disrespectful and unprofessional behavior from the district, LLEA members are on strike for a contract that prioritizes students and educators, and resolves the retention and recruitment crisis impacting students in our communities,” says LLEA Co-President Jennifer Montalvo. “It’s unbelievable that the wealthiest ZIP Code in the United States can’t pay us like the professionals we are and keep us in the district. Our students are forced to face a high turnover of their teachers because we are forced to leave the profession we love.”

On the heels of the release of the fact-finding report, it is abundantly clear that LLESD has the resources to pay educators a competitive wage and provide health care they can rely on. LLEA members are working without a contract since July 2023. Negotiations are at a standstill due to the district’s failure to agree to prioritize the retention and recruitment of qualified educators, as soaring housing and health care costs are forcing educators to take second jobs to survive.

Las Lomitas parents and community joined their dedicated educators on the picket line this morning and expressed shock that their school board and school district management would show so little respect and care for the teachers who support and nurture their students.

“We are heartbroken to see the teachers forced into this strike. It was pretty shocking for students to see their teachers walk out with their personal belongings yesterday,” says parent Thomas Been. “The irony is that this strike is happening in the wealthiest place in the country. The district is one of the county’s most highly funded per student. Yet the teachers’ compensation is the lowest when compared to nearby districts. As a parent and taxpayer, I want to see the district invest in more education, not more administration.”

CTA President David Goldberg joined Las Lomitas Education Association members on the picket lines in the richest ZIP Code in America.

With neighboring school districts showing they value their educators and students by offering fair pay and health care benefits, it is becoming more difficult for Las Lomitas to recruit and retain the talented and experienced educators their students deserve due to poor decisions by district leadership. With a massive budget reserve, the school board and district management are driving educators away and forcing unprecedented turnover rates instead of investing in the educators Las Lomitas students need.

“The superintendent has manufactured a budget crisis by directing resources to pet projects and expensive administrative retreats rather than prioritizing educators and student-facing programs,” says LLEA Co-President Daniella Lefer. “Today, we are on strike for a better future for our students because LLESD is not making them a priority.”

LLEA Co-Presidents Daniella Lefer and Jennifer Montalvo

Keep updated on the Las Lomitas educators strike by following on Facebook, and help support by joining them on the picket lines.

“We’re here to demand fairness, respect and a contract that recognizes the value we bring to our schools and communities. We’re asking for a contract that prioritizes educators, because when teachers are supported, our students thrive.” — Caryn Carlson, LLEA member & La Entrada teacher