(WXYZ) — Educators in Pontiac are demanding answers, and tonight, they;ll be out in full force at the Pontiac School Board meeting to raise awareness over their contract dispute.
Watch Brittany's report below
Pontiac teachers have been working without a contract since 2025. We were in Pontiac last Wednesday at our Let's Talk event, where some of those teachers showed up and told us directly how this situation is affecting them and their students.
Watch our previous coverage
A no-confidence vote was passed last February by union members against the Superintendent and several board members. Then, an unfair labor practice charge was filed with the Michigan Public Employment Relations Commission in December.
Parents are just as fired up as teachers and paraprofessionals in the Pontiac school district, as today marks the 294th day they've worked without a contract. And per the teacher's union, negotiations have stalled again. Tonight, they're planning on taking their complaints directly to school district officials at tonight's school board meeting.
"Time is up. People are tired," said Rhonda Johnson, a paraprofessional at Kennedy School.
"We need answers today. Not tomorrow, not next school year. We would like answers today," said Ebony Sims, a paraprofessional at Pontiac High School.
The battle cry from Pontiac school teachers and paraprofessionals grows louder each day. The Pontiac Education Association and the Pontiac Paraprofessionals Association are joining forces, demanding the school district come back to the bargaining table.
"We’re very upset, and it makes no sense," said Fred McFadden, the paraprofessional's union rep. "Let’s get back to the table, if we have to do it every day to get a deal done before the end of the school year."
Their demands: high wages, better resources and funding, and smaller class sizes, plus better funding for classroom resources. The teacher's union also called the district heads "fat cats" in a recent Facebook post, rallying members to Monday night's school board meeting.
Per the Mackinac Center, a database of Michigan School Superintendent Salaries, Pontiac's last superintendent made over $251,000 a year. The district did not provide new data in 2025 with current head, Dr. Kimberley Leverette's contract.
Sims told me that during these negotiations, they were literally offered pennies.
"When they came to the table the offered 2 pennies. We did the math, 2 pennies equals $11 over a year. Would that help you and your family out?" she said. "It's disheartening. It’s disheartening everyday, it is. I leave here most days and I’ll DoorDash for a couple of hours."
Pontiac parents say they feel helpless watching their kid's favorite teachers struggle.
"Kids need their education," said Staci Hernandez, a Pontiac parent.
"Teachers should be entitled to a contract because the contract is a foundation for them to stand on," said Jodi Ervis. "These teachers deserve a raise. It's disgusting, it's embarrassing. Help our students out. Why would you not want to help your students out? This is our future."
The district didn't respond to our requests for comment. The school board meeting is tonight at 6 p.m.; the contract isn't on the agenda, but employees say they plan to picket outside, all wearing red in solidarity.
