Elk Grove schools face more than 1,000 layoffs

Clearly these are tough economic times. There are many inequities. Teachers are feeling the brunt of a lot the issues because the cost of education is so high. Do we penalize children, giving them sub-standard education ?

Why are other government employees getting large increases and large retirement packages ? Why are certain public employees getting undeserved disability retirement deals ?

Is'nt it about greed and taking advantage of a system which is broken ? We voted these idiots in, so we must share the blame.

Rather than dismiss 1000 teachers , the board should find a way to lower all salaries enough to stay in budget and retain all teachers. Share the wealth. Everyone gets less, and all get to keep their jobs.

Alot of truth there. But it is difficult to think big picture when the issue hits home. A 1000 teachers here, a 1000 teachers there and pretty soon this country takes a back seat to other countries. Why do foreign students come here?  Why do we produce over 20 thousand medical students from foreign countries each year and our own kids can't get accepted.

Cynical. Yes. American. You bet cha.

Last week, I was told by a principal that pink slips went out to all teachers who were hired in 2003 through the present.  These pink slips were actually notices that these teachers could be laid off; the actual lay off notices will go out May 15. 

One of the problems that our school district and most other districts face is that their year begins July 1, the same day that the state budget is supposed to be in place.  In theory, schools know how much they are going to have, based on the state budget amounts that are designated to go to the part of education that pays teachers.  In past years, the school districts have had a pretty good idea of how much money they will receive from the state even though the actual state budget was not yet in place.  However, this year, most districts do not  how much money they will have to work with, but they do know it will be significantly less.  Accordingly, the districts have to act on the best info they have now.  The districts have no choice but to proceed based on a worst-case scenario.  At the same time, the worst-case scenario keeps on getting worse. For example, California did not receive a chunk from the federal stimulous package that it was counting on for education.  In order to be fiscally prudent, most districts are sending out notices that teachers might be laid off now because their contracts with the unions require such notice and they are sending out notices based on the worst budget conditions in memory.    Aside from the hardships this causes for laid off teachers, when the teachers get laid off, the kids suffer.   I saw a very appro po slogan that instead of saying "No Child Left Behind" said "Every Child Left Behind".

Ready or not, the kids show up to school either in July (at year-round schools) or mid August (at traditional schedule schools).  So, in order for the school districts to act in a financially responsible manner (not spending more money that they have), they have to take all corresponding action based on having significantly less money, which means having a lot fewer teachers and class sizes almost 50%  bigger in kinder though 3rd grade in elementary and likely bigger in middle school and high school.  It also means that schools could start with really, really overcrowded classrooms and then get more money a few months after school starts when the the legislature gets around to passing a budget, at which time the district will rehire some of the teachers and rearrange the classes to make smaller classes a few months after school has started.  Of course, this would not be good for either the kids or the teachers. 

To make matters worse, the school districts and the unions that negotiate on behalf of the teachers generally have an adversarial relationship that often does not  put what is in the best interest of the kids first.

If you wish to take action, I would suggest contacting your legislative representatives in both California and in Congress and your school board members.  I also wonder if the average citizens contacting the local teacher unions might help all sides come to an arrangement that is in the best interest of the kids.

You could have another completely valid argument about the inefficiencies, fraud, and waste in government that, if eliminated, would greatly  help.  However, I don't want to go there in this posting.