The yelling started even before the fire marshal arrived.

And once he came, the roar was deafening.

Hundreds of Jordan School District teachers and students packed a sweltering and stuffy Board of Education room Tuesday to protest 500 proposed job cuts -- 250 of them teachers.

Hundreds of people were forced to leave before the meeting could even begin when the West Jordan Fire Department ruled that only 250 people -- one for each seat -- could remain.

"Just your presence being here has been a good indicator of where you stand and your support," said Carmen Freeman, board vice president.

That stance was overwhelmingly in favor of a tax to combat a $30 million budget shortfall next year. To make up the deficit, the board has proposed raising class sizes and cutting programs, as well as the job cuts.

Most teachers and students spoke in favor of a tax increase proposed by the Jordan Education Association. That increase, under $10 a month on a $200,000 home, combined with a districtwide five-day furlough, would make up $18 million of the shortfall, said Robin Froge, JEA president.

With the proposals for job cuts and larger classes, teachers feel the board has violated an "implicit trust" that exists between staff and administrators, said Doug Livingston, who teaches drafting and computer electronics at Bingham High. Teachers have willingly taken pay cuts and worked extra hours over the years, Livingston said, but they have reached a breaking point.

"They are asking us to compromise our integrity and how we teach," he said.

Some, like Bingham football coach Dave Peck, are nearly ready to take the protest a step further. While teachers in the district agreed to simply present their grievances to the board for now, strikes and walkouts have been discussed as options in the near future if the board does not reverse its decision.

Rumors of a strike were strong enough to prompt Superintendent Barry Newbold to issue a statement reminding staff that "an employee walkout, job action, or strike is an illegal activity." Another memo reminded teachers that planned "informational rallies" are not allowed on school property.

For now, teachers plan to work their contract hours, said Livingston, rather than taking home papers to grade or serving as advisers to clubs.

While the vitriol poured forth in the board meeting, the rally continued outside. Each time the doors opened, roars of "Save our teachers" poured in from the hundreds of people who had moved outside. Students passed out information sheets with the board's mission statement and photos of members to those leaving the meeting, and pledged to have their parents support "anything to get an education," said Bingham junior Stephanie Monsen.

And they don't plan to stop.

"We'll be there tomorrow, 4 p.m." said Bingham junior Mike Pugh, speaking of the rallies planned across the street from middle and high schools during today's parent teacher conferences.

But a tax increase is not favored by everyone in the district. Bluffdale's City Council sponsored a resolution urging the district not to raise taxes.

"There are no easy answers," said councilman Rod Flanigan. "Perhaps the district and administration needs to get a little more creative."

kdrake@sltrib.com