On the morning of Dec. 6, 2024, teachers from Huron High School adorned hats and mittens, holding picket signs and fresh coffee and hot cocoa. Educators stood in the snow from 7:30 a.m. until school began at 8 a.m to voice their concerns about increased heath care costs.
Social studies teacher and student council advisor Jeff DeMoss came this morning to rally support for teachers who are impacted by recently raised insurance rates and contract negotiations.
“The district is making it harder to be able to retain teachers and for us to be able to thrive as teachers here in the district,” he said. “We’re here trying to bring some attention to parents, to get them to recognize the specifics of how the district is mistreating us.”
DeMoss feels undervalued everyday by central administrators in Ann Arbor.
“I love it Huron High School, and I love all the people that I get to work with and all the students that are here,” he said. “I wish the district made my life easier to be able to keep doing that.”
Psychology teacher Joys Kapali held a sign reading “$400 Insurance Increase Equals My Car Payment.”
“All of our insurance rates are gonna go up to and probably more for other people, $400,” she said. “That’s a lot of money, especially for new teachers like me. We did not get a step this year, so I’m stuck on the bottom barrel.”
A step is an incremental raise a teacher gets year after year in their salary. The base pay for a teacher in the 2023-24 school year was $40.97 per hour according to Ann Arbor Public Schools.
“A lot of us live around Ann Arbor and it is very expensive,” she said. “A lot of teachers, who are not married, live with multiple other people. $400 a lot of money, and for some of us it’s a car payment.”
One PTSO parent part of the Staff Appreciation committee, Katie Baidel, is concerned about the financial mismanagement in AAPS and it’s impact on teacher retention.
“I think the teachers probably are feeling insecure about their positions being there for them year after year,” Baidel said. “I want to make sure that the teachers have what they need, feel valued and are compensated fairly.”
While they served hot drinks and handing out flyers titled “keep AAPS staff HERE”, snow fell down quickly on the protest that took place near parent drop off. Students got to see their own teachers protesting for their fair treatment. The cold morning had mixed feelings of indignation, passion, and optimism.
“I feel hopeful,” Kapali said. “We’re just trying to get the message out about how things that affect teachers also affect student’s learning conditions. If we’re coming to work disgruntled, that’s gonna reflect in a way. Our students also feel in that classroom.”
