Logan Memorial High School students walk out to protest of San Diego Unified layoffs

Dozens of Logan Memorial High School students with megaphones, left class Wednesday in Logan Heights to protest potential teacher layoffs.

The San Diego Unified School District has confirmed it may lay off teachers because of budget cuts due to declining enrollment and the end of COVID-19 relief funds.

NBC 7 spoke with students, teachers and parents about the walkout and their goal to get the district to re-consider layoffs.   

“Students feel safer and more connected with certain teachers, and they feel some of these teachers are the ones that advocate for these students,” said Sinhai Villa, a student at Logan Memorial High School.

NBC 7 also spoke with a teacher and member of the teacher’s union about the status of the district and its financial handlings.

“There’s a few teachers being moved out of high school or a position that they don’t want to teach in," a teacher said. "We feel it’s retaliation from the district because we don’t stay quiet."

Michael Sauseda, a current student body council member, notified NBC 7 of Wednesday’s planned event.

“It feels like for the longest, around two years, our school hasn’t been able to have a say in things going on districtwide,” said Sauseda.

SDUSD provided the following statement, in part:

"Over the last year, our team has worked to thoughtfully and strategically build a budget that considers the needs of our children first and foremost. We are maximizing attrition and available reserves to minimize layoffs, and we are hopeful we can continue to reduce the actual number of employees affected before May 15, when the reductions are finalized."