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Teachers protest budget cuts
Protests on Ranchero, Main highlight state education cuts
Hesperia teachers took part in a statewide “Day of Action” intended to call attention to state education budget cuts that have led many California public school districts to announce layoffs.
The Hesperia Unified School District, the largest single employer in the Victor Valley, receives 70 percent of its funding from the state. And facing a $20 billion deficit, state legislators are cutting, delaying and recalculating funds to pubic school districts, which are then left with their own deficits. Superintendent Mark McKinney recently announced that the HUSD is facing an expected $13 million deficit (the legislature has not yet passed, and the governor has not yet signed, a state budget).
The California Teachers Association called on union members across the state to protest and draw attention to impending layoffs and the resulting cutbacks in curriculum offerings and larger class sizes in public schools. Demonstrations were planned for more than 100 public school districts.
Thousands of students also demonstrated at the state’s public college and university campuses on Thursday, expressing anger of tuition hikes and service and staffing cuts.
“We’ve already taken the brunt of the hits” in last year’s state budget cuts, said HTA Tom Kerman at a protest held Thursday morning on Ranchero Road, just down the road from Oak Hills High School. “It’s time for them to fund [education] the way it’s supposed to be.”
“Now we’re getting down to the bare bones. We’re cutting teachers. We’re cutting classes. Children are going to be in much larger classes than necessary,” said Yolette Rios, a teacher Cypress School of the Arts who was out protesting Thursday afternoon at the Main Street overpass over the BNSF railroad tracks. “We need the public to call Sacramento, we need you to call your legislators, and say ‘stay away from the classrooms stay away from the schools.’ Enough’s enough.”
State law requires public school districts to notify teachers by March 15 if their services will not be required in the coming school year. School districts that don’t send out pink slips won’t be able to during the 2010-2011 school year, even if their financial picture worsens.
Several Victor Valley school districts have already announced teacher layoffs: Apple Valley Unified School District has sent out 140 pink slips, Victor Elementary School District sent out 126, the HUSD has sent out 94 and the Snowline Joint Unified School District sent out pink slips to 15 teachers.
With March 15 looming, the remaining Victor Valley districts are taking up the issue in the coming days.
The Adelanto Elementary School District school board is expected to consider cutting 17 teaching positions if the district is unable to win sufficient concessions from employee bargaining groups.
The Helendale School District school board will consider laying off three teachers.
Only teachers are represented on the initial list of job cuts for most districts, since other employees legally must only receive a 45-day notice that their services will not be required in the coming school year.
The Lucerne Valley Unified School District has announced that they will have non-teacher cuts absorb any needed layoffs.
The only school district in the Victor Valley with increasing enrollment -- the Victor Valley Union High School District -- has announced that their district will not lay off any employees for the 2010-2011 school year.
Beau Yarbrough can be reached at 760-956-7108 or at beau@hesperiastar.com. Follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/Hesperia.Star
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| Thank you! I thought that's what it was. The number has been rising over the last week. And I try to remember the meaning of the word negotiate, and hope that the HTA team will actually do it! |
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| teacher 2 - Mar 10, 2010 04:32:17 PM | Remove Comment |
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| To Teacher 2. I do not know why the HTA is spreading news about a 17 percent cuts for teachers? The initial proposal from the district, which HTA president published to all teachers, was 8 percent salary reduction plus 4 day furlough plus 500 dollars more in insurance. 4 days equals just over 2 percent of a teachers work year. That means losing 4 days equals a two percent cut. Add that to the 8 percent salary cut and your have 10percent. 500 dollars to a teacher making 50k a year is 1 percent. That adds up to a 11percent salary cut for teachers. I hope the person telling teachers that they could take a 17 percent cut isn't teaching our kids math. Or do I have it wrong? Yes, 11 percent is still a cut that really hurts, but let's get real with the facts. |
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| big chuck - Mar 10, 2010 02:47:29 PM | Remove Comment |
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| The DP is only good for TP |
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| Barb - Mar 10, 2010 12:58:46 PM | Remove Comment |
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| Well, pink slips were issued today at HUSD. I'm sorry for those who received them. I have voted each time to give up something to save your jobs. I hope someone has placed the order for more desks and chairs for those of us who remain. I guess we'll have class sizes up to what is allowed by fire laws. I think it's 52. |
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| Colored Paper - Mar 09, 2010 07:08:28 PM | Remove Comment |
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| Thank you Chuckles. |
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| teacher - Mar 09, 2010 07:03:56 PM | Remove Comment |
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| Can someone please explain the 17 percent possible pay cut for teachers? That's what I'm hearing. |
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| teacher 2 - Mar 09, 2010 06:52:54 PM | Remove Comment |
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| Parents and community volunteers unite and get board approved and go down to your local school and volunteer. Sharpen pencils, cut paper, help a child learn to read, and the list goes on and on. Teachers do work hard, and their jobs would be so much easier if they had total support from the home. From parents. I encourage parents to get involved in their children's school. You can make a difference. It will matter. |
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| volunteer parent - Mar 09, 2010 09:14:39 AM | Remove Comment |
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| I'm always amazed at the disrespect that's shown for the teaching profession. I am not a teacher, but I'm close enough to several who are to know that it is one of the hardest and most thankless jobs around. Please, people, before you criticize teachers, do everyone a favor and do a little research about how hard it is to not only become a teacher, but to maintain your credentials. Take some time to get to know what it is that teachers deal with on a daily basis. Sit for a while with a teacher and observe what it is that they actually do. If you can come away after that and still be critical I'd be surprised. Teachers deserve our respect. Without them you wouldn't even be able to read the comments posted here, let alone add to them. Teachers, I salute you. You deserve much more than you get, you deserve more thanks than I can give. I certainly couldn't do what you do. You have my admiration. |
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| chuckles - Mar 09, 2010 07:23:10 AM | Remove Comment |
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| We had many carlaods of Apple Valley, Hesperia and Victorville Voters with our kids heading to the Adelanto Bike /Skatepark park on Saturday. Voting begains in November for Apple Valley, Hesperia and Victorville council seats. Council members who sit on the butts and do nothing for the youth will get the BOOT come November! |
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| Furmage - Mar 08, 2010 12:17:08 PM | Remove Comment |
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| Howard Jarvis, if there were a repeal of prop 13, or a modification, all the teacher’s would want a raise to be able to stay in their home. |
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| Retort - Mar 07, 2010 12:50:00 PM | Remove Comment |
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| Yet Another Teacher Decrease in revenue means a decrease in funding. That is the way it is. Now we might be able to get a more stable source of funding, but with decreasing property values that is also in doubt. I know the favored cry of the unions is repeal prop 13, but I am not sure that is going to happen. At best a modification, but don't hold your breath. |
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| Howard Jarvis - Mar 07, 2010 10:59:06 AM | Remove Comment |
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| I became a teacher because it was the only thing I ever wanted to do. I love imparting knowledge to children and will continue to do so tirelessly. There's really no use trying to explain to people that we have college degrees, master's degrees, and many, many hours of professional training. The general public only sees the hours that school is in session and the fact that we get holidays and summers off. I've always felt that I am well compensated for what I do. I am willing to give up something because I know that we must in these times. It is because we teachers have given nothing over the last several years that it seems so extreme now. It is a shame that in the state of California funding for education is not guaranteed, but rather based on revenue. |
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| Yet Another Teacher - Mar 07, 2010 09:40:15 AM | Remove Comment |
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| many ways to save money from the top down, same with the state of california. but no one will work together to come to common needs and to see the others point of view. my kids are in school right now and all the people who no longer have kids in school and were allowed the opportunity to receive a well rounded education need to look at the dire situation as it is now. they got music, vocational classes, math social studies, art, drama and every other opportunity to make them productive. we now are creating a full generation of gang members with the testing philosphy of just math and language arts. when kids realize thru state tests that they are not good in one of those two subjects, there is nothing left fo them to try and excel at so they drop out and join the local gang selling drugs and guns. i have personally witnessed a good teacher swaying young men and women, thru their class, to stand strong against the gangs and to try to make something of themselves positively. avid is a good example of this. we have too many extras that school are trying to provide to solve societies ills, instead of just going back to offering an education for all. that means voacational skills for those talented with their hands, art and music for those creative and academics for those higher learners. put in fulough days, but dont cut curriclum and dont cut teachers or staff. |
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| education - Mar 07, 2010 08:09:30 AM | Remove Comment |
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| Teacher. Many of us classified employees have student loans also and degrees. We also work well past our contracted hours and are club advisers or coaches who do not get paid for our extra time. We do it for the students. We again are willing to take cuts to save jobs. It would be nice if teachers would do the same instead of trying to throw us under the bus. I have been told by teachers that they can come down to do our jobs during their prep periods. I would like to see you guys try it for just one day. You guys already complain that you do not have enough time to do you own jobs. Lets all work together as a team and be an example during this time of crisis of people working together to build a great school district for the students. |
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| me too - Mar 07, 2010 07:32:12 AM | Remove Comment |
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| Teacher, so what is it you want from all of us hard working people? Teachers are among the highest paid in the state except for some city, county, and state employee’s. I am not saying teacher’s are not doing a wonderful job. I am saying all state city and county employee’s get excellent benefit and pay packages., Not counting early retirement opportunity’s. Us other people paying those taxes to provide that can’t afford more taxes. You keep saying you are a highly trained professional, as if you are putting the people down paying your wages. Anyone with a job and retaining it in this economy must be very good at what they are doing, unless you work for the state, city, or county. There are not enough people working in the private sector at this time to be able to keep up with the expense’s the state has created. There have to be cuts made. |
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| Retort - Mar 07, 2010 07:26:19 AM | Remove Comment |
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| Comparing yourself to what a lawyer goes through? Highly trained professional? Give me a break. Reminds me of a ex friend who sells real estate. When asked to cut his commission he said you don't ask your doctor to lower his rates do you? Keep it real Teacher. You will have more people on your side than if you make exaggerated claims on how much schooling, how many hours and how hard you work. |
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| Perry Mason - Mar 07, 2010 07:17:54 AM | Remove Comment |
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| Retort keep in mind that we are under contract for only 10 months. We are unemployed for 2 months every year. The only reason that we have a paycheck in the summer is because we withhold earnings all year and pay ourselves. We are highly trained professionals with relatively low pay compared to lawyers, counselors and other similarly trained professionals. You are perpetuating a falsehood that we have a cushy job with a ton of time off. The fact is most of us work well past contract hours during the school year and plan during the summer. In fact I frequently go to trainings during the summer at my expense. |
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| Teacher - Mar 07, 2010 06:31:35 AM | Remove Comment |
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| Dear teacher and another teacher, Good for you both. My daughter is a teacher she has her Masters and did it with out loans. We did help her and she worked part time to achieve what she has done. A teacher works 180 days a year. I work any where from 245 to 265 days a year. I pay my taxes 60 plus percent per year of my wages. How much more do you think I should pay? |
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| Retort - Mar 06, 2010 06:05:12 PM | Remove Comment |
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| Another teacher While our parents were paying for private schools, they were also paying taxes for the public schools, therefore helping other children with their education. How blessed we were with wonderful role models.
My two cents As far as private school teachers earning less, you are definitely correct. I know of private school teachers who are excellent and, unfortunately, those who shouldn't be there. Yet, many parents still send students through private schools to keep them out of the public school mess. These people are paying tuition for a private school and taxes for public schools. Again I say, we have to start forcing our hand in Sacramento instead of fighting amongst ourselves. We all want the same thing An excellent, safe education for the children. Teachers deserve a reasonable salary and benefits for the education they have undergone to do the job, My God, you put your children in their hands, classified staff deserve top pay and should not be asked to give up anything again, they are vital in education, and good administrators are extremely important and deserve fair compensation also. No one wants to see anyone lose their job or some of their salary. It's not fair, it's not right. People are leaving this state because of this mess. I am considering it. I'm a great teacher and that would be a loss, I'm telling you. And, I'm definitely not the only one. We have to go to the politicians about this mess. How? I don't quite know yet but I'm researching it. At the least, call and write. Let your objections be known.
I just wish people would stop teacher bashing. It takes patience, dedication, strength, and the love of learning to do our job. We are not to blame for the financial mess and we give up so much more of our salary just in our daily teaching than most people even realize. |
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| teacher - Mar 05, 2010 09:04:43 PM | Remove Comment |
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| Teacher, you are not alone. My parents paid for me to attend private school through 12th grade also. I also paid my own way through college. I was also raised in a generation that did not believe in handouts. It is really sad when people get on these blogs and try to make us the bad guys. |
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| Another Teacher - Mar 05, 2010 07:11:25 PM | Remove Comment |
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