Hundreds of SEIU Local 99 members, parents, and community supporters rallied on March 13, 2012 in front of the headquarters of the Los Angeles Unified School District as the school board voted on a crisis budget that includes up to 10,000 job cuts for classified employees. We joined together to urge Sacramento to “Fix This Mess” and fund our schools.
SEIU Local 99 members spoke out to save early education centers, cafeterias, after school programs and other areas that will be hardest hit by budget cuts. Deborah Gonzalez, an Early Education Aide at Eastman Early Ed Center told School Board members, “It makes no sense for Sacramento to take away the funds that have been specially preserved for our quality preschool program. Our schools are struggling to raise test scores. These classes make sure children are ready to do well on those tests. We are here to send the Governor and Legislators a message: Quality early education can’t be seen as optional!”
The LAUSD Board voted to approve what is a worst case scenario budget for the District but said that if legislators approve a final state budget that funds education, and if voters approve the revenue initiatives that will be on the ballot in November, including Governor Jerry Brown’s tax proposal, many programs, services and jobs would be restored.
