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Students Join Teachers In March: 'Can't Learn Anything Without Teachers In Class'

DENVER (CBS4) - Several students from CEC Early College skipped school to attend the DCTA rally Tuesday morning. They weren't in class, but they still learned something.

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"We learned that we can't learn anything without teachers in class," said John Valadez, a freshman at CEC Early College.

Their teacher, Ms. Anyel, didn't show up for school, so her students showed up for her.

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"We had subs all day, and they made us do work that was totally irrelevant to anything we've learned throughout the whole year," said Valadez. He and many of his classmates joined teachers during the march Tuesday.

Anyel had no idea she'd see her students during the strike.

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"I did not realize they were marching until we were marching! This is one of the most powerful experiences of my 10 year teaching career, to see my students out here with me supporting us," said Anyel Groher.

With no classroom, and no lesson plan, Anyel still managed to teach them something.

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"If they are ever in the situation where they are needing to stand up for themselves, they will have had a model for that," she said.

RELATED: Denver Teachers Strike Enters Second Day, Negotiations Continue

But if you ask her students, she's been a model long before this.

"Ms. Anyel always has my back in class, always asking me what's up and writing me notes. I know in order to keep those type of teachers we need higher pay," said Valadez.

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