YELM, Wash. — Dozens of Yelm High School students walked out of class Wednesday morning in response to proposed budget cuts.
Last week, the Yelm Community Schools Board approved a proposal to eliminate 220 staff positions, including 120 teachers.
The district currently has 350 teachers, according to Superintendent Chris Woods.
The other cuts include paraeducators and positions in transportation and custodial services, said Woods.
Yelm voters rejected two school levies this year, once in February and again in April. The most recent race was determined by 225 votes.
Woods said he personally informed all of the potentially impacted staff members. He called it "heartbreaking."
Woods said cuts could include junior varsity sports, drama and music programs.
“Unfortunately, when you’re cutting $15 million, everything’s on the table. So there are no easy decisions in this,” said Woods.
He said the number of teacher layoffs could drop, depending on what the school board ultimately decides.
Teacher union contracts require the district to inform union employees by May 15 if there’s a chance they may not be hired back the next year.
The school board is hosting a community forum to discuss the potential cuts at Yelm Middle School on Thursday at 6 p.m.
Woods hoped a final decision would be made by late June.
Junior Eagan Wall helped organize Wednesday morning’s walk-out.
”We want to have a say in this, we’re the ones truly being affected, as students,” said Wall.
Wall is not old enough to vote, and neither are most of his classmates, but if the district proposes another levy next winter, he said the students will campaign for it.