(Photo: Teachers and community members protest proposed education cuts. Ana Tintocalis/KPBS )
More than 900 San Diego Unified teachers, counselors and nurses will get pink slips in the mail this week. The San Diego school board voted last night to take that action. Hundreds of teachers, parents and community members turned out to urge the school trustees not to make drastic cuts. KPBS Reporter Ana Tintocalis has the story.
There was commotion inside and outside the school board meeting as school employees pushed their way into the auditorium to secure a seat. Those who couldn't get inside marched outside. They held signs and chanted slogans.
Parent Bob Turner was one of many people who urged the board not to cut hundreds of teachers, counselors, librarians and nurses. He blasted the district for not protecting these positions.
Turner: What we need to do is cut from the top down, not the bottom up. I think if you were cutting at home you wouldn't cut out food before entertainment, food before a new car. But that's what you're doing. You're cutting out the food. The staple which is our kids, our schools, our teachers. You can't do this.
That sentiment echoed throughout the school board meeting. It was heard from parents, community members and teachers. Union president Camille Zombro accused the board of not doing enough to save public education.
Zombro: We need a school board who will advocate for our schools. Who will demonstrate a commitment that we're all on this together by showing the courage and leadership it really will take to keep all cuts away from all classrooms. How is it that Long Beach Unified, the third largest district in California, managed to weather these cuts with no layoffs. Since we replicated so many other things from Long Beach -- why can't we replicate this?
Dozens of school counselors and school nurses also had their say. They shared personal stories about how they help kids survive the school day.
Nurse Naomi Krilla says she went as far as helping a boy get badly needed surgery.
Krilla: I have worked with the doctors, I have worked with the family, I have worked with the insurance company. I was there for him. Don't take the nurses out of the schools.
The board heard hours of testimony which was against the cuts. Even so, the panel voted four to one to send out more than 900 layoff notices. School board president Katherine Nakamura says she sympathizes, but approving these layoffs are necessary.
Nakamura: We are as angry and as frustrated as you can possibly be. We want change but we are not going to bankrupt this district. We are not going to walk away and be fiscally irresponsible.
All of the people who are getting pink slips are credentialed to teach that includes teachers, teaching assistants, school counselors, nurses, and librarians.
It’s still not clear how many of these people will actually lose their jobs. That depends on how much state education funding the Legislature and the Governor agree to for next school year.
Right now the Governor's proposed cuts translate into an $80 million loss for San Diego Unified.
The district has to have a budget now and that's why they're issuing the layoff notices. Things could change as budget talks move forward in Sacramento.
Ana Tintocalis, KPBS News.
