LAUSD CUTS

The Los Angeles Unified School District board approved thousands of layoff notices Tuesday afternoon.

The layoffs are a move toward closing the district’s $640 million budget deficit. Superintendent Ramon Cortines said he's about $25 million away from balancing the budget for what he describes as a $12 billion business.

The move was recommended by district financial staff. The layoffs could bring an increase in class sizes, boosting class sizes to as high as 44 students in middle school classrooms. The counselor loads would also be affected with the ratio going to 1,000 students to one counselor. 

Local 99 Worker's Union said ultimately the layoffs are hurting the students.

"Nearly half of our bus drivers and school custodians are also parents, and they need their jobs to be able to support our students," said Terry Carter, a representative from Local 99. "It's the kids that are suffering, and it's time that we tell Sacramento to stop these cuts."

Nearly 4,700 teachers, counselors and nurses would receive the notices saying they would lose their jobs by June 30. Another 1,500 janitors and maintenance workers would also be notified of layoffs if the board approves the recommendations.

One custodial worker at Bell High School, Theresa Aguilar, said the budget cuts have already caused three of her colleagues to be laid off, causing the custodial staff to only be able to sweep classrooms once a week.

"We're going to be very worried. That's the first thing that will come to our minds," Aguilar said. "If anymore layoffs go through, it would be devastating.

The layoffs could also potentially eliminate school nurses and librarians. 

"The status of California's school libraries is already dismal," Bell Flower High School Librarian Salanoa said. "California is already fifty-first, coming after Puerto Rico, in the nation in rank in regards to school library resources."

Salanoa said any cuts to school libraries would be bad for student literacy rates.

Cortines said the district has been open with all of its financial decisions, and the public can see their books and see that this is laying off workers could be the district's only option.

“This is disruptive and doesn’t provide stability for our schools, students or parents,” Cortines told the Daily News. “But I have looked at every area in this district. We are already down to the essentials.”

Last year, about 8,000 layoff notices went out, but only 2,000 people actually lost their jobs, Cortines said.