Teachers in Phoenix-area schools plan to hold protest Wednesday

PHOENIX — Teachers in at least three Phoenix-area schools were expected to hold a protest on Wednesday, calling in sick in order to participate in a #RedForEd protest at the Arizona Capitol.

Noah Karvelis, an organizer with Arizona Educators United, said the three schools in the Pendergast Elementary School District included Sunset Ridge Elementary School. The other schools were Desert Mirage and Sonoran Sky elementary schools.

“They decided on tomorrow because there is going to be an assembly for #RedForEd at the Capitol tomorrow,” he said.

“Teachers feel like no one is listening to them or advocating for them, so they felt like they need to do something. This is the action they decided they will take.”

Mark Smith, a teacher at Villa de Paz elementary school, told Mac and Gaydos that teachers at his school would also be participating.

Smith said the teachers were getting sick of being treated poorly and were getting ready to make demands.

“The truth of the matter is we are shutting down the school for our kids,” he added.

Arizona Educators United was the organization that planned a protest at KTAR News’ studios during Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey’s visit last week.

The group also kicked off the #RedForEd silent protest, in which educators and supporters wear red to show support for the state’s teachers and to demand schools be fully funded.

Karvelis said the Wednesday protest was planned outside of the organization. He added that robo calls have started going out to parents to warn them about the protest.

“[The teachers] need answers and want someone to be held accountable,” he added.

Ducey said on KTAR News’ Mac and Gaydos on Tuesday that the organization endorsed his opponent, David Garcia, and pointed to it as a reason for people to view it as a “political organization.”

“Information that is coming from Red For Ed should be seen through a political light,” he said, adding that he was focused on passing a budget to put more money into K-12 education.

But the organization that endorsed Garcia was Arizona Education Association, not Arizona Educators United.

The calls for higher wages and better treatment gained steam after teachers across West Virginia caused a nine-day shutdown of public schools due to a statewide protest. The strike ended after state officials vowed to raise teacher pay five percent.

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