On Wednesday, Nov. 6, before the regularly-scheduled School Board meeting, a group of AAPS parents and teachers rallied with signs saying “keep us here” to protest the increase in healthcare costs for teachers.
Huron Teachers’ Union Representative Sarah Anton said that for most teachers, the insurance premiums are going to double for teachers.
“What we are doing [at the rally] is letting our voice be heard and trying to [tell] the district, ‘You need to do something,’ because, as it stands right now, a lot of us can’t afford to work here,” Anton said. “Our theme is keep us here because we want to stay here, but some can’t afford to work here anymore.”
For Huron Government teacher Alison Echlin, a $5,000 increase in health insurance, which is what she says most teachers are currently facing, is $200 to $300 more per paycheck in her household.
“That’s 2.5 months of daycare, it’s mortgage payment, it’s a lot,” Echlin said. “I’m feeling incredibly disappointed after the [layoffs] last year and the emotional drain we’re going through again. It’s just scary. I want to teach. I want to be in Ann Arbor. I wanted to retire from Ann Arbor Schools, but Ann Arbor is making it really hard to do that.”
Anton said the teachers are feeling upset.
“I don’t think we were starting out the year in a great place,” she said. “I mean, everyone was excited to be back in the classroom. Everyone loves their job. But the job has gotten a lot harder as a result of last spring, and now we can’t afford to work here, so it’s just been hit after hit after hit. So teachers are frustrated and sad and angry and not understanding why they make it so hard just to stay here and be employed.”
