Anger over cuts bubbles to surface at Lodi Unified School District meeting

Peter Jaffe, conductor for the Stockton Symphony, speaks about the importance of the arts in the education of children by citing local musicians and artists. School bands and elective classes are in danger of being cut. (Dan Evans/News-Sentinel)

Anger over cuts bubbles to surface at Lodi Unified School District meeting

By Maggie Creamer
News-Sentinel Staff Writer

Friday, February 13, 2009 6:51 AM PST

Comments (10 comment(s))

With sometimes trembling and strained voices, about 40 upset students, teachers and parents spoke against proposed layoffs in the Lodi Unified School District on Tuesday night.

People mainly asked why the district hadn't looked at other solutions before recommending to layoff 343 teachers and 42 other full-time certified positions, including counselors, librarians and assistant principals.

The district has suggested eliminating 95 classified positions, which include bus drivers, custodians and library assistants. The layoffs are the district's attempt to deal with a $21 million budget shortfall going into next school year.

The board should look at more innovative ways to cut costs and also lay-off the highest-paid administrators first, said George Neely, a sixth-grade teacher at Creekside Elementary School.

"Only when people are answering their own phones and writing their own letters. Only then should we consider cutting one job of the people who work directly with our children," Neely said.

Members of the Budget Committee Advisory Board listen as members of the public voice concerns and opinions about the proposed budget cuts facing the Lodi Unified School District. (Dan Evans/News-Sentinel)

If the recommended layoffs happen, students will no longer see class size reduction or instrumental music in elementary and middle school. There will also be reductions in career technical education, elective course options, physical education, library media services, advanced placement courses, counseling services, nursing services and athletic coaches.

When a speaker asked for those at the meeting concerned about cuts to music, about half of the more than 200 people in the crowd stood up.

Coming from a single-parent home, McNair High School senior Lafyette Brown said picking up a violin in elementary school changed him.

"Now, I've gained leadership and feel better about myself ... I've thought about dropping out many times but music's kept me in there," Brown said.

Comments like Brown's will help guide the superintendent's committee in its recommendations to Superintendent Cathy Nichols-Washer, who may take the ideas before the school board. Its members, however, have the final say in making cuts, and have already voted on several cost-saving measures for next school year.

Among those are closing Turner Elementary and moving its students to Lakewood Elementary, and laying off close to 45 people in the district office.

In preparation for a large crowd, the school board's regular meeting on Tuesday will be at McNair High School's theater in north Stockton. It seats 720.

At the meeting, the board is expected to decide if there are any personnel the district may lay off in the 2009-2010 school year because the employees must be notified by March 15.

Comments on the budget crisis

"It's about balance and that's what PE and music do for me and every other student in the district."
— Andrew Moton, sixth grader at Elkhorn Elementary

"It's utterly frustrating when you look at these cuts, first and foremost is teachers. By cutting programs, eliminating teachers and class-size reducations, you are contributing to the achievement gap."
— Shryl Thomas, parent

"To my 600-plus students I see a week, it is the only access they have to books ... It is sad to see you'd take that away."
— Jeanette Dillingham, librarian media assistant

"I know it's hard to make cuts, but why not look at those who do not provide direct services to students? I hear they make quite hefty salaries."
— Maricela Ramirez, parent

"The anger you hear tonight is not related to you having to make cuts. It's because you are not being transparent."
— Gary Reiff, parent

"I'm disappointed in government. I don't think our kids should pay for their mistakes."
— Robin Orr, parent

Some suggestions from Thursday's meeting focused on avoiding layoffs for teachers through cutting higher-paid administrators, going to a four-day school week, starting later in August to save on cooling bills and having salary reductions across the board.

As both a parent and teacher at Julia Morgan Elementary, Anne Swehla Garcia said layoffs cannot be the only answer. She remembered her daughter taking her first steps while she worked late with a bunch of other teachers, and she is quick to point out — that was beyond her contracted time.

"I'm willing to take a pay cut if it starts at the top," she said.

For sixth-grade teacher Kelly Hamsston, she is most frustrated because she felt teachers have not been included in the process of how to deal with the budget.

"This doesn't feel like it's open — that you are listening," she said. "It feels like this has already been decided, and you are saying shut up, and put up with it. Our children deserve better."

Staff writer Jennifer Bonnett contributed to this report.

Contact reporter Maggie Creamer at maggiec@lodinews.com

Reader Feedback

essayjay wrote on Feb 13, 2009 9:55 PM:

" Well over a million dollars probably several, is invested invested in our schools' textbooks and libraries' resources and book collections, yet our media techs make little in comparison to maintain this resource. Yet, they are on the chapping block leaving an overburdened teaching staff to add this to their duties.
This decision will quickly come back to bite LUSD in the budget back end. This type of bad decision making quickly compounds itself and will force more misery in years to come. Don't lay off library assistants. Layoff overpaid administrators, and top heavy district staff. cut the fat off East Vine Street.
Start sub contracting our work out to private industry, especially with M&O. Get us out of the maintenance business, subcontract our custodial staff. "

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loadeye wrote on Feb 13, 2009 9:06 PM:

" Who provides those portables? Or who makes sure they buy from the right company? "

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takealook wrote on Feb 13, 2009 7:09 PM:

" AND why did the district order a portable to be used at Delta Sierra for thousands of dollars---and now they have 7 empty classrooms on campus. The bigwigs need to take that pay cut and let us teach!!! "

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blossom wrote on Feb 13, 2009 12:40 PM:

" They already know the cuts they are going to make and it is set in stone.
They are going to leave the TOP BRASS because they will protect one another That is it plain and simple.
They could lay off 10 to 15 people and make up the difference.
Hey what about Campus supervisors?? Why are we keeping them let the people that make the money patrol the campus.
Welcome to Lodi........ "

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kidsalami wrote on Feb 13, 2009 12:34 PM:

" It's in the story: more than 200. "

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Whoa Nellie! wrote on Feb 13, 2009 11:54 AM:

" Reporter Maggie:

Inquiring minds want to know: how many people attended last nights meeting???

Seeing how the Fire Dept closed the Wed night meeting I think many people would be interested in knowing this fact.

Thanks... "

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Oh Bull ! wrote on Feb 13, 2009 9:33 AM:

" Lodisafeway I agree on the gym also look at the new podesto ranch school that is not even 2 years old and not close to be full eith students another waste of district money! "

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Observer wrote on Feb 13, 2009 9:05 AM:

" Lodisafeway, the gym (right or wrong) was a part of the school bond that was passed several years ago. "

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lodisafeway wrote on Feb 13, 2009 8:11 AM:

" Something that I've never understood is why did Lodi High School build a third gym last year? At the time of the construction (and certainly while it was in the planning stages) the nation (and our community) was not in the economic state it is today. But already having two gyms should have given pause to investing whatever amount of money it took to built this third building, regardless of whether or not it could be afforded.

What is sorely lacking in government, the LUSD and in our own homes is any real sense of planning; the foresight to put away today for the needs of tomorrow. History is crystal clear in reminding us that economies fluctuate. When times are good there always seems to be a rush to spend everything we have, with little or no regard to what WILL happen somewhere down the line.

How much did that gym cost? Could the money have been saved so that many of these layoffs could have been avoided during a downturn such as the one we're in now? Hindsight of course is 20/20, but we have history to remind us; we need to learn from it. "

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Giovanina wrote on Feb 13, 2009 7:00 AM:

" Funny, how district's will continue to pay absorbantly high salaries, to district administration, with the excuse that it will attract the best, BUT when it comes to the people that work directly with the children, those people are always treated as expendable and not deserving of higher salaries and better health care. "

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