Mount Vernon teachers continue calls for higher wages with second walk-in

Teachers throughout the Mount Vernon School District held a second "walk-in" Thursday morning, following the cancellation of a regularly scheduled school board meeting on Tuesday night.

The meeting was canceled after dozens of teachers rallied outside before bringing their frustrations inside.

Last week, teachers from every school in the district staged a city-wide "walk-in," rallying outside their buildings before heading to their classrooms for the start of the school day.

The reason behind these walk-ins is to fight for a fair contract and salary.

Teachers say they have been negotiating for a contract for two years and have not received raises in three years. They are seeking to be treated the same as surrounding districts and to be taken seriously by the school board.

"Everybody around us has settled their contract, and we feel disrespected, undervalued, all those words because we do just as much as the other districts, and we deserve a better contract as well," said one teacher.

Mount Vernon's $271 million school budget passed Tuesday night, with no increases for taxpayers.

A Board of Education meeting is scheduled tonight where teachers union representatives are expected to speak.