The EdVocate West

Reality-Based Budgeting

January 31, 2011 at 9:42 pm arunramanathan Leave a comment

A Bold Idea to Stop the Pink-Slip Blizzard

I have to applaud San Diego’s board for thinking out of the box. Four years ago, when a different SDUSD board sent preliminary layoff notices to nearly a thousand certificated staff , I thought the move was penny wise and pound foolish. By that, I mean that the actual harm caused by projecting layoffs based on illusory numbers from the Governor may have satisfied the budget crunchers but was educationally unsound. Based on previous experience, it seemed that many of the cuts would be rescinded and the federal government might come to the rescue. In the end, that’s what happened and most of those notices were rescinded. However, the damage was done – to staff, to students, to schools. I reccomend that San Diego and other boards start to advocate for some fundamental changes in the system.  For years, CTA and their partners have supported the March 15 notice even though “real” numbers aren’t available until months later because they like the crisis that it creates. It’s an effective political strategy – and who cares about the harm to less senior teachers. The unions don’t really focus on them anyway. If they did, perhaps they would also advocate for the elimination of seniority-based layoffs.

That’s a thought for San Diego and other district’s in the same boat. Perhaps, they could join LAUSD in their legislative agenda to change many of the crazy rules and regulations that govern the layoff and dismissal processes!  Let’s end the last in/first out seniority based process. Let’s put a stop to bumping! How bold would that be!

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