Nova high school students walk out to protest Seattle teacher cuts

Nova High School students walked out of class and marched to Seattle City Hall today. They are protesting potential teacher shakeups at the project school.

Seattle Public Schools announced last week that 33 teachers in the district would be moved or a reassigned to a substitute position.

The district said the changes are due to low enrollment.

Two teachers would be displaced at Nova, which is about 15 percent of their teaching staff.

"Essentially we would lose about a sixth of our classes," said Aidan Pruitt, 12th grade.

"For example, we will have no pre-calc, and pre-calc is a pretty important class. A friend of mine won't be able to take algebra 2," Pruitt said.

Introduction to ethnic studies is also in jeopardy.

At today's march students said the teachers at Nova, which predominantly serves the LGBTQ community, make them feel welcome and recognized.

"I've only been there three weeks and it's a happy place. I enjoy being there," said Unique Jordan, 9th grade. "I already have a strong connection with most of the teachers here."

Students and teachers at Nova described the proposed displacements as disruptive and hope the district will make them at the end of the semester, not a few weeks into the school year.

Seattle Public Schools has not yet responded to KUOW's request for comment.