St. Charles North High School students walk out of class in support of teachers

About 200 students poured out of St. Charles North High School on Friday morning and congregated in front of the school in a show of support for teachers who are being involuntarily transferred at the end of the academic year.

Students stood outside the school for one class period and chanted, “Save our teachers!” On several occasions, they erupted in cheers before returning to their classes.

District 303 announced plans to move nine teachers across five schools – six high school teachers, two elementary school teachers and one middle school teacher.

Included in the group are St. Charles North teachers Alice Froemling and Brian Callahan, who are being sent to middle and elementary schools, respectively, within the district after this school year.

Froemling and Callahan have taught at the high school for 14 and 15 years, respectively. Callahan said he will be reassigned to Munhall Elementary School. Froemling has not said where her new assignment will be.

Friday’s demonstration outside the high school follows a show of support earlier in the week in which students urged the St. Charles District 303 School Board to reconsider the decision. Despite their pleas, the board announced after a closed session that the transfers would proceed as planned.

[ St. Charles school district to involuntarily transfer two high school teachers despite protests from students, colleagues ]

Superintendent Paul Gordon said at the April 17 meeting that the changes would ensure a more consistent student-to-teacher ratio across all levels of education and ensure the district’s longtime financial stability.

“This is a decision that we did not come to lightly,” Gordon said. “It was made only in accordance with existing processes used in previous years under the teachers association contract.”