Anti-Ed Blitzkrieg in L.A.—ACLU Supports Merit Pay Scheme

[Modern School]

More Massive Cuts Hit LAUSD

Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) laid off 1,000 non-teaching staff on December 1. Another 1,600 received pay reductions, and 2,040 more were transferred. Nearly one in six classified (non-teaching) workers in the nation’s second largest school district was affected by the reorganization. Many of those fired were nurses and librarians.

The cuts were a continuation of the layoffs, furloughs and pay cuts that began earlier this year, affecting both teachers and classified support staff. The cuts are likely to continue, as next year’s budget has a projected $142 million shortfall. In addition, federal stimulus money that had been supporting 12,000 jobs is set to dry up.

All Education Cuts Hurt Students and Teachers

While teachers and parents may be sighing in relief, since teacher jobs were spared in this current wave of lay-offs, they should remember that all cuts hurt students and degrade teachers’ working conditions. Cuts in custodians translate to overflowing garbage cans, filthy toilets, grungy class rooms, and sea gull and rat infested lunch areas. Laid off secretaries and administrative assistants result in delays obtaining transcripts, screwed up master schedules, and befuddled administrators forced to schedule their own appointments. Fewer nurses mean that the miserly medical attention that was available may disappear completely, while library services may evaporate, too.

Any sighs of relief are premature anyway, as state funds are also set to dry up, with more lay-offs, furloughs and program cuts down the road for L.A. and the rest of the state. California faces a $25.4 billion deficit,

For more, please read http://modeducation.blogspot.com/2010/12/educational-blitzkrieg-in-laaclu.html

[msongs]

1. will salary be cut back then if the teacher gets a lower performing group later > nt