The Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) Trustees voted last night to fire almost 400 classified instructional aids. The President of the School Board, Jose Hernandez, told the huge audience at the School Board meeting that one of the workers being fired was his Aunt, who raised him. But he turned into Donald Trump and fired her anyway.
School Board Trustee John Palacio told his fellow Trustees that there were $17 million dollars available in various district accounts but the other Trustees, with the exception of Rosie Avila, voted to fire the workers anyway.
Apparently some of the workers will be offered part-time jobs in lieu of their full-time jobs.
Hernandez and fellow Trustee Rob Richardson are up for re-election in November. Good luck with that! From what I heard there were over a hundred people there and it sounds like they will be working hard to defeat Hernandez and Richardson.
This is a travesty. Bilingual aides help SO much in the administration of CELDT and STAR tests, translating during parent conferences and IEPs, and as an extra set of eyes working with Special Ed students within the classroom, just to name a few things. While I have found in my experience that some aides are more effective than others, I worry that the more effective ones will go find jobs elsewhere that offer better hours and benefits. I wonder what goes through the heads of the people at District and the Board sometimes… do they really take as hard a look as they could at other places to cut? And, do they think about the long-term effects on morale and quality of educators, whether traditional or paraeducators, and what effects this could have on our students? How about stop remodeling the District office so much, or stop splurging on catering everything, or, I don’t know, don’t say you’re going to fire 500 teachers and make them force a hearing that costs subs and morale, only to hire almost all of them back! Grrrr…
#1 I agree on every point.
The only SAUSD Board members who care about what is best for the students are Mr. Palacio and Ms. Avila…God bless them for voting intelligently.
ADIOS to Hernandez and Richardson this November! Let’s see how Noji flip-flops when she finds herself in the minority on every vote 4 – 1.
#2
Oddly enough not too long ago everyone thought Palacio and Avila were the nut cases. It is amazing how things change.
Someone wrote around this blog that all the board members received full district medical packages. So Hernandez fires his aunt and puts her on his benefit package. OR he gets her rehired quietly in a better job. Not that I would think any board member would do something as low as that. But the difference now is people are watching.
#1 – You’re spot on.
It’s obvious the Superintendent and the board trifecta – Richardson, Noji & Hernandez – are empty headed.
If SAEA can pony up $4k to levy taxes on the property owners who reside in SAUSD, I certainly hope they can step it up and diligently work to defeat Richardson & Hernandez in the fall.
I can tell you this..work and schools will suffer for this! The classfied workers at the SAUSD make this school system tick! I don’t understand this!! Look out for a strike SAUSD!
Classified I’m with you for a strike, but it seems as though we are the minority within the Union. Also, I’m tired of the focus being on Instructional Aides. Please understand that I am not down playing their roles in our schools are vital, but the 182+ other classified staff the District cut are important too.
I am a SPED teacher and know the value of these aides. Our SPED population will suffer will limited support. Its bad enough we can’t find enough SPED teachers now we are loosing our help. The aides union is weak and will not lift a finger for its members. If their union cared they would have called a strike or at least planned something to rally support for the aides. The aides need to find another union that will actually stand up for them and do something.
I hear there is a Board meeting coming up on July 12th?? What’s this one all about?? Does anyone know aout this?
John Palacio only says what people want to hear. He needs to stop speaking out of his A** and start helping the board come up with solutions to our problems that is the reason why he is a member.
As for Avilla, I have never heard anyone talk so much and say so little!