(NewsNation) — At least two teachers were handcuffed and escorted out of a school board meeting in Nevada as the Clark County School District and its teachers union continue tough contract negotiations.

Nearly 5,000 teachers rallied in front of the building where the school board met Thursday, NewsNation local affiliate KLAS reported.

During the meeting, dozens of teachers began chanting, demanding better pay and heckling school leaders. Two teachers were handcuffed, while another was removed from the board meeting without restraints.

Two of the people who were removed received a citation for disturbing a public meeting, a district spokesperson told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Much of the fighting concerns a bill passed by Nevada lawmakers that put a historic investment into public education. According to the Review-Journal, legislators allocated more than $2 billion in new K-12 public education funding for the next two years and $250 million statewide for school district employee raises.

The teachers union says that money should go toward teachers and support staff salaries. They’re asking for a 10% increase the first year and 8% the following year.

KLAS writes that the school district has countered this with an 8.5% raise for the first year and 2% the following year.

“If we’re in the business of providing instruction, then we need to ensure that we’re doing everything we can to retain our educators and to recruit educators here,” teacher and Clark County Education Association President Marie Niesess told KLAS.

Right now, teachers’ salaries aren’t providing for their basic needs, Marijo Burroughs, another teacher, said.

“Right now, teachers aren’t making it, You’re going to school, but you’re not able to pay your rent,” Burroughs said. “We’re just asking for the wages that were due to make rent.”

In a statement, the Clark County School District said it “continues to advocate at the bargaining table for increasing pay for deserving teachers and correcting the old salary schedule with a new equitable schedule.”

“Negotiations with the CCEA will only be resolved at the bargaining table, not by disrupting the business operations of the school district. As stated at Thursday’s board meeting, violating the law by disrupting a public meeting results in consequences,” the school district said.

Nationwide, teachers unions have been sounding the alarm on what they call a burnout crisis that’s come from inadequate pay and mental health concerns, especially as educators and students have had to adjust to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the National Education Association, when adjusted for inflation, the average salary of classroom teachers declined by an estimated 6.4% over the past decade. The average public school teacher’s salary is around $66,000, the NEA said.

NewsNation local affiliate KLAS contributed to this report.