Celebrating “Everyday Heroes”
In 1986, the California Legislature dedicated the third week of May to recognize the important contributions—both inside and outside the classroom—of:
- Cafeteria workers who make sure children don’t go to class hungry
- School bus drivers and other transportation workers who get children to school safely
- Special Education Assistants, Health Care Aides, and others who support our most vulnerable children
- Custodians and gardeners who make sure children learn in a clean and healthy environment
- Early Education workers, Teachers Assistants, after-school workers and others who help our children succeed academically
- Campus Aids and Community Representatives who provide a safe and supportive campus for both students and their families
Los Angeles Unified School District Bus Driver Makebia Flanagan is just one of thousands of dedicated L.A. school employees who will be recognized by the District during this week-long event.
“I decided to be a school bus driver when I was a student at Crenshaw High. It seemed like the perfect job because I love kids,” said Flanagan. “I set a good vibe on my bus. I know I make a difference in the kids’ lives. I teach them manners. Everyone has to say ‘Good Morning’ out loud. I make the boys be gentlemen and let the girls on first.”
But many dedicated school workers like Flanagan struggle to make ends meet. Classified school employees are the only seasonal workers in California who are denied access to unemployment insurance benefits in the summer months when work is not available. At the same time, they are among the lowest paid workers in our schools. According to the Economic Roundtable’s “Cruel Summer” 2015 report, the median annual earnings for California’s school paraprofessionals is $14,446 and for janitors, bus drivers and cooks it’s $25,255. Yet, current law is based on the misguided rationale that all school workers—from administrators to teachers to cafeteria workers—earn “enough” during the school year to cover the summer recess period.
In fact, these dedicated education workers often struggle to put a roof over their heads and feed their own children. A quarter struggle to pay for rental housing. And more than 4,000 LAUSD classified employees don’t have access to the District’s affordable health care, adding to their struggle to care for themselves and their families.
“What I didn’t realize when I chose my school career was how hard it would be for me in the summer. I’m a single mom of five kids attending Los Angeles schools. I haven’t had a summer job for seven years. I’ve looked everywhere,” said Flanagan. “I apply to all the airport shuttles… McDonalds…I studied massage therapy and HVAC maintenance. Trust me, I hustle all summer long, but most places tell me the same thing: we’re not interested in someone who can only work for two months.
“So every year I apply for unemployment insurance. Every year, I’m denied. I appeal and wait on hold and go to hearings and make endless phone calls. So far, I guess you could say I’m lucky. I have won my appeals. But my first check usually doesn’t come until Christmas. I can never catch up. I can’t save money, because I always have a late bill to pay. And I see other school workers getting denied their appeals.
“I live in fear every single year that I might not get it. But I make sure my kids don’t worry. They never know we’re struggling because that’s what mom is for. They never knew the reason we moved from our home of 12 years was because the landlady finally got tired of me getting behind on rent. They don’t know that sometimes we’re on public assistance. They don’t know that I have to call the electric company to arrange to have my bills stretched out over a payment plan.”
Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (District 58) has introduced the Summer Relief for School Workers Act (Assembly Bill 2197) which would allow school workers to access Unemployment Insurance. According to the Economic Roundtable, legislation like this would bring an additional $187.3 million in increased sales for California businesses and $12.1 million more in state and local tax revenue.
“Many school workers who have chosen to commit their life’s work to helping educate our children are forced to live in an endless cycle of debt and poverty,” said SEIU Local 99 Executive Director Max Arias. “We must do more to ensure school jobs are good jobs by improving wages, increasing full time work, expanding summer school, and ensuring school workers have access to unemployment benefits when they need them. This legislation is a step forward toward ensuring that dedicated school workers can support their families while continuing to provide quality services to students during the school year.”
