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During the day, these teachers are Toledo Community College educators. In the evening, starting at 5:30, they, along with nine others, teach at the Claver College Extension. But that night schedule has changed for nine out of the eleven teachers. The Claver College Extension Chairperson, Lisel Alamilla issued termination letters yesterday afternoon at 2:00. The letters were delivered after the teachers staged a two day sickout that started on Wednesday. According to Claver College Extention Teacher Rep. Vanna Noralez, they were protesting a contract that the board presented which outlined a new stipend system they simply don't agree with.

Vanna Noralez- Claver College Ext., Teacher Rep.
"Initially the treasurer of the board presented an idea that we could be paid quarterly. Now, the staff rejected that idea. A couple of months later it was just forced upon us saying this is the email, read your contracts and the staff, after meeting and consulting with each other, we outright rejected it. And that was because we do not agree to be paid quarterly for the entire year. That is ridiculous."

But the Chairperson Lisel Alamilla says it isn't a ridiculous agreement at all. She says it is a matter of the teachers compromising given the tight cash flow.

Lisel Alamilla- Chairperson, Claver College Extension
"Their main issue is that they want to be paid monthly. They want to be paid on every 15th of the month. We have tried to explain that we understand that they want to be paid every 15th of the month but because of cash flow, how money comes in to the institution, we are not confident that we could be able to meet their requirement that we pay them on the 15th. So, to secure ourselves so that we don't have to go over and over with these threats hanging over us, let us agree that we are going to pay you on a fixed date when we are confident that we can meet our side of the obligation."

Courtney Weatherburne
"So you guys are just asking them to bear with you all and compromise?"

Lisel Alamilla
"Yes, and we had said to them. So, some of them are saying, 'but just sign the contract and if you can't meet it on the 15th then we will understand and we will wait.' Well, historically they have not waited."

And the teachers say it is difficult for them to wait two months because they rely on the small stipend to cover basic living expenses.

Vanna Noralez
"The situation is extremely disheartening for me and for my staff just because we spend a lot of money on childcare. We have bills, we are teachers, and we only get paid once a month. It is difficult to be able to spend all of this money; one, to get to work, two, on childcare for those of us who have young children and there are many times that, because our institution is so small, we have to print the papers for our students. We spend money on printing for our students. That is how committed we are to doing our jobs. We are not going to make our students suffer. So, we go to the internet cafe, we spend a little bit of money on ink and so on. So, we are spending all of this money and then we are fighting back for a little bit of it. There are some of us who don't even have cars and they have to take a taxi. We are in PG, it rains here. They say that it only rains here two times, during the day and during the night. But that is the reality that we live in here."

Another glaring reality these teachers are faced with now is that they will not get their jobs back if they refuse to sign the new contract. Chairperson Alamilla says she has already advertised for new teachers. Now, the question is, will those new teachers have students to teach? Because according to one student, the students stand in solidarity with their teachers.

Mario Noralez- Claver College Extension Student
"Coming Monday and we reach school and they have new teachers, there will be no students because the students are with the teachers 100%."

Reporting for 7 news, I'm Courtney Weatherburne.