To a chorus of boos, the San Diego Unified School District board of trustees voted Tuesday to cut more than 200 jobs, a move expected to lead to the layoffs of about 70 people.
The trustees unanimously voted to cut them, which raised an outcry from school staff and teachers alike.
Of the 221 positions being cut — including paraeducators, aides, clerks, custodians, higher education staff, food service workers and more — 88 are already filled, the district said. It said another 86 jobs will be added.
“I’m voting for this because I believe we can work together to bring people who have been in the system into some of the 86 positions,” said Trustee Sharon Whitehurst-Payne, a former district teacher who was laid off before being called.
Some workers whose jobs have been cut may be reassigned, and the initial assignment depends on seniority; Superintendent Fabiola Bagula expected this to happen for at least half.
Some could leave before the end of the school year.
“We expect that the number of workers receiving the final notice will decrease between May and May,” said Bagula.
But for about 70 people, “there’s no chance that they’re going to get hit, or they’re one of the few that’s been offered,” said Kristine Morshead, the district’s chief of staff.
Those workers would be laid off in May, with no change yet.
The district, which employs about 15,700 people, said the cuts could save it about $19 million in annual savings due to the eliminated positions. It notified the bargaining units of the strike plan last Thursday.
Under state law, school district employees must be notified by March 15 of potential layoffs, and the cuts and layoffs are finalized by May. But another cut could come in the summer.
At a rally outside district headquarters before Tuesday’s meeting, leaders with the California School Employee Association, the union that represents special education workers, opposed the cuts.
“CSEA is the core of this region, and running it without us would be impossible,” said Dawn Basques, president of the association’s office-technology and business division. “Stop doing the budget behind us.”
He said that it was not good as no coaches’ jobs were the same on the chopping block.
San Diego Unified and its teachers union agreed last month to an agreement to try to prevent any teacher layoffs. Union members are voting on the deal this month.
“How is it there?” Basques said. “How is that doing a good thing for our communities and our students?”
Another important issue for the San Diego Education Association in its discussions with the district has been working for special education. More than 100 jobs are listed on the agenda as a resource for educators – among them special education workers.
Jose Sanchez, CSEA union representative, said in an interview before Tuesday’s meeting that coaches must shoulder a greater burden when teachers are absent or unable to help.
“We don’t understand why they would be cutting such important positions,” he said.
On Tuesday night, teachers were among those who spoke out against the cuts.
Stacy Williams, a special education teacher, asked the board of trustees to explore other options before cutting specific student support areas.
“I have to say that I will be voting no on that (temporary) agreement,” he said. “You can be promoted. I love my employees that I support.”
Asked about the idea that preventing teacher layoffs guaranteed job cuts, SDEA president Kyle Weinberg said students need all kinds of full-time jobs.
“We have come today to give a clear message that we want our brothers to be given full staff so that the schools are suitable for our students,” he said. They also spoke out against public firings.
Board vice president Cody Petterson said this year’s reduction was due to last year’s promotion for teachers and classroom staff.
“When you are making this decision to have fewer workers who are paid more or more workers who are paid less, you have to keep raising them — otherwise your wages will not keep up with inflation, and your workers will not be able to survive,” he said.
Boos came from the audience.
At the end of the trustees’ deliberations, board president Richard Barrera said he didn’t think the district had to choose between paying its employees a living wage and avoiding layoffs. But he did not say where other budget cuts might be found.
“We will be able to move forward, create positions, support people to promote high-paying positions,” he said. “People will be in better positions than they are now.”
He voted with his colleagues to approve the dismissal.
The public walked out of the meeting after the vote, shouting “shame”.
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