Hundreds of students in the Grossmont Union High School District showed up to a rowdy, packed board meeting Tuesday evening to protest mass layoffs of librarians, teachers, and other staff.
The protests at the school board meeting followed a student-led walkout and peaceful demonstration earlier Tuesday, with many students, staff, and supporters waving signs with sentiments such as, “Grossmont students deserve fully staffed schools — #SaveGUHSD,” and “Students deserve better.”
The walkout and protest took place after a Feb. 28 decision by the GUHSD school board to cut all librarians district-wide and dozens of other staff. The board announced that vote approximately 24 hours before it was set to take place, with the item on the action agenda listed as adopting a resolution “terminating services of certificated employees as a result of reduction or discontinuation of a particular kind of service.”
The board has cited financial issues as the reason for the cuts.
“We are heartsick that we have to do this,” said board president Gary Woods. “It is so disappointing that the governor is reducing our budget.”
However, that point was disputed by members of the public, who pointed out that the district has ended the past two school years with a budget surplus, according to financial documents on the district’s website.
“The $2.2 million shortfall in the budget is not a ‘deficit’,” said Valhalla High School teacher-librarian Stephanie Macceca during public comments. “This shortfall is a total that is projected for over three years. it is not nearly as dire as you describe.”
The demonstrations were successful enough that one board member, Chris Fite — whose votes are often at odds with the rest of the board members — proposed that the cuts be reversed, to loud cheers from the audience.
The rest of the board refused to take up the proposal, saying that it had not been put on the agenda beforehand.
Plans for the protest began after a 4-1 decision to cut staff at the Feb. 27 special meeting, when the Instagram account @studentsforstaff.guhsd made its first post post calling for a peaceful protest.
A post shared by GHS STUDENTS FOR STAFF (@studentsforstaff.ghs)
Those student leaders at nine of the district’s high schools — El Cajon Valley, El Capitan, Granite Hills, Grossmont, Monte Vista, Mount Miguel, Santana, West Hills, and Valhalla — decided to start their own Instagram accounts to spread the word.
“This is a board of elected officials,” said Mia Rhoades, a senior at West Hills High who was a student organizer for her school’s protest. “Our community put these people in office, and the job, as I understand, of elected officials is to represent the people who voted them in and the community that they’re elected to serve.”
“But they’re not listening to anyone. We’re showing up. Every single person here is against what they are saying.”
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Hundreds of Students Protest Librarian Layoffs During Rowdy Grossmont Union Board Meeting )
Also on site :