NEWS
Palo Alto Link faces shutdown. Page 4
LIFESTYLE
Glorification of sleep deprivation. Page 6
SCI/TECH
Teens logging off.
PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL 50 EMBARCADERO RD. PALO ALTO, CA 94301
NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE
PAI D PALO ALTO PERMIT #44
Page 13
The Campanile Vol. CVII, No. 7
Palo Alto High School, 50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
SALARY STANDOFF
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eachers lined the Embarcadero and Churchill entrances to the school on March 19, rallying with signs, tambourines, megaphones and donuts before school to raise awareness about ongoing contract negotiations between the Palo Alto Educators Association and the district. Most recently, PAEA asked for a 9% retroactive raise for this year and an 8% raise for next year for its members. In response, the district has proposed a 3% raise this year and then a 4% raise next year with a yearly bonus payment of $3000 for each year. Math teacher Herb Bocksnick said the goal of the rally was to highlight teacher concerns about the way the district deals with teacher compensation. “We are definitely lagging behind in the area,” Bocksnick said. “We're currently sixth place in Santa Clara County. I don't think anybody associated with PAUSD — whether it be students, parents, sta# — feels like we are sixth at anything, but the compensation is currently at that level, and I think people need to know it.” Bocksnick also said the district’s stance on salaries re$ects its broader priorities.
“%e budget signifies priorities, and In comparison, Yu said employees of o#ering the bare minimum under the most other school districts are forced to umbrella of being fiscally sound and fiscally shoulder insurance costs out-of-pocket, conservative, I understand that,” Bocksnick leading to less net money in the bank. said. “But when there is a very consis“We have not seen it as an employee, as tent pattern of underspending, at some monetary payment, because it's not going to point, you’ve got to let the people know the bank for me to spend, but it's covering that they're appreciated, and that they're my entire family for really great benefits,” respected — which is said in words in many Yu said. instances, but let's not kid ourselves. Money Board member Rowena Chiu, speaking matters.” on her personal behalf, stressed the imporPAEA president Tom Culberttance of understanding how much PAUSD son agreed and said rising costs pays in benefits. are making it increasingly “We may not look as good as difficult for sta#. some of our neighboring districts, “%e big a#ordability but I do emphasize that the crisis for our educators, package should be considered as though, is housing,” a whole — benefits and salary Culbertson said. “Hous- !%"(-&,9"$1"0(./:#1.,/(&#1"( together — because that's what ing has gone way past makes sense,” Chiu said. “What ./(;<;=4(#$$,&0./8(1,(1%"( costs the in$ation rate for the the district is ultimately last 20 years, and that is what the full compensation pack>"0"&#)(?"'"&@"A what is eroding the a#ordage is, not one as distinct from the ability that our teachers are other.” experiencing. %e life that they are While acknowledging the practical leading is so much more difficult, and their limitations to what PAUSD is able to comeconomic prospects are so much lower than pensate teachers, Chiu said teachers — as a they were 10 years or 20 years ago.” profession — are undervalued. DASHEL Junior Audrey Mi said she attended the “Teachers don't make as much as I wish CHUN / THE CA MPANI LE rally to stand in solidarity with teachers. they could,” Chiu said. “Let's just say teach“Teachers provide so much support ers don't make as much as doctors. Now for each individual student.” Mi said. you might make the argument: Doctors “Each student needs something, and I are saving lives. But education also saves think it's just so important to reciprolives because it creates a community that cate that as a district.” can go on and be productive. AndI think But district officials push back on enjoying education, the love of learning, the idea teachers are being paid the can save lives. One might say society should bare minimum. Chief Business Officer value teachers at the same level as doctors, Charen Yu said she’s worked in other because education is a field that's as critical districts, and PAUSD provides signifias healthcare to the prosperity of a society, cantly stronger healthcare coverage and right? … I feel the teaching profession is working conditions, which is why salaries underpaid, but I think that's a national are technically lower. problem and maybe even a global problem. “%e one big di#erence between Palo It isn't a problem specific to PAUSD.” Alto and those two other school disChiu also said the relationship between tricts is the health and welfare benefits,” the union and the district is moving in a Yu said. “We cover our full time employ- positive direction amid recent leadership ees at 100% for their health and welfare changes, which she hopes will help negotiabenefits, and we provide 90% of covertions progress. age for employee plus one and employee “When I think about collaboration, I plus family coverage. And just to give you think actually negotiation very much should context, coverage for a family — let's say be less antagonistic,” Chiu said. “It should an employee plus their spouse, and let's be a collaboration around: We all want the say two children — that costs the district best for the kids. How much money do we roughly around $50,000, and the employee have in the pot, and how do we spend it, portion of it is 10%. So basically, the district and how do we measure up against neighcovers 90% of it.” boring districts? … %e tone of that is really
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DASHEL CHUN / THE CAMPANILE
English teachers Keith Tocci and Marc Tolentino join other educators in a union rally for salary increases. The rally took place before school on March 19. "At some point, you've got to let the people know that they're appreciated and that they're respected," math teacher Herb Bocksnick said.
important. I think we should be communicating we're all on the same side here. We should not be pitting the district against the union.” Ultimately, Culbertson said the union is coming from a place of trying to support teachers, who face in$ation, rising costs and a housing a#ordability crisis. “We're willing to work with the district,” Culbertson said. “%ere are teachers around the state that are striking and getting deals that are approximately what the district is o#ering right now. %ese are districts that are vastly di#erent from Palo Alto in terms of the economic funding that those districts
receive. And I believe, and I know, that we can do better.” Bocksnick said the district should recognize the importance of its educators. “We love what we do,” Bocksnick said. “We love working with kids, but we've all got to pay our bills. You can say all the wonderful things about (us), that the sta# comes every day here for students and all that, but at some point you need to put your money where your mouth is.”
Elise Andrade Editor-in-Chief
Admin reverses theatre director's reassignment after community outcry %eater teacher and director Sarah %ermond was informed on March 12 that she would be removed from her role as theater director and reassigned as an English teacher for the next school year. %is change would have meant she would no longer teach theater classes or direct after-school productions. However, following strong backlash and criticism from the Paly theater community, the decision was reversed. %ermond will remain in her current position and will also take on an additional role as the theater director at Greene Middle School, according to ParentSquare message co-signed by %ermond, Principal Brent Kline and Visual and Performing Arts Instructional Leader Brittney Kerby and sent to theater families on March 27. In an earlier email to theater students and parents, Kline said the reasons for %ermond’s reassignment were declining theater enrollment and a desire to take the department in a new direction. Kline declined to comment on an interview for this story. After receiving emails from theater parents and alumni questioning the decision, Kline sent out a Parent Square message reiterating the decision to reassign %ermond. “Over time, we review our programs to ensure they are meeting student interest and making the best use of our facilities and instructional resources,” Kline said in the ParentSquare message. “In looking at the theater program, we felt it was important to take steps that will strengthen the program moving forward and create more opportunities for student participation and engagement.”
Following this announcement, students from the theater community shared concerns during the open comment section of the school board meeting on Tuesday March 17. In the open session, junior Katya Kuykendall said declining theater enrollment does not re$ect the full impact of the program. “Yes, class enrollment numbers may be down, but after-school, productions, which Ms. %ermond runs without additional compensation, are thriving,” Kuykendall said. “%en there is the competitive record. Just this past weekend at State %espian Festival, Paly students earned scholarships, won first place medals, and two students were elected as State %espian officers, a pattern that has continued for several consecutive years under Ms. %ermond’s leadership. %is is not a struggling program. %is is an exceptional one.” Senior theater student Rei Prior also spoke at open session, delivered a verbatim message from late theater student Summer Mehta’s father, Nick Mehta. “Paly theater was (Summer’s) invincible refuge for restoration,” Prior said. “It was the place she could be herself. It was the place where she felt she belonged. It was her home as much as her physical home, and that is 100% due to the culture that Ms. %ermond created.” Sophomore Dalia Yarbrough said %ermond makes theater a safe space for students on campus. “She cares about all of her students individually, and takes the time to get to know everyone who crosses her path,” Yarbrough said. “She doesn't just teach. She listens. Before I had Ms. %ermond as a teacher, I lacked
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self-confidence, could barely perform publicly and felt like an outsider. She believed in me, and that allowed me to believe in myself for the first time.” Because of instances like this, junior Jonathan Mazor-Hoofien said %ermond is a beacon and called for a reversal on her reassignment. “%is year Paly theater has experienced loss, as it has done several times before, and in those moments, Ms. %ermond has been a pillar in our community who students turn to,” Mazor-Hoofien said. “We are not here to be adversarial. We are here because we believe the decision was made with an incomplete picture of what (theater) truly is and what it actually does for students. We are asking for a reversal of this decision, or at minimum, a pause. Look at the full record, talk to the students and recognize what Ms. %ermond has built here.” With the March 27 ParentSquare message from Kline, it would seem as if Kline took student input like this to heart. “We hope this alignment will help create community and a stronger investment in Greene and Paly theater, both on stage and behind the scenes,” Kline said in the message. “We look forward to renewed program growth and expanded opportunities for student involvement.” Following this announcement, %ermond said she is pleased with the decision and hope it will better connect middle and high school student programs. “It’s a solution that is well positioned to address the concerns that we’ve all been having about building continuity and keeping numbers up at the school,” %ermond said. “I think having more of that connection between our two sites will be really positive. I’m also really excited because it lets me continue to focus on theater, which is what I ultimately came to work in Palo Alto for.”
Zoya Prabhakar
Digital Managing Editor