LA Schools Approve Plan To Cut 5,000 Jobs

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles school board has approved a budget plan that calls for more than 5,000 job cuts.

District Superintendent Ramon Cortines presented the board with various proposals Tuesday to deal with a projected budget deficit of $1.2 billion for the next two school years.

Projected layoffs would include almost 1,400 teachers. Average class size would jump to 29 students from 24.

The Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation's second largest, laid off some 2,000 teachers this academic year.

About 300 teachers and supporters protested outside the meeting, chanting and waving signs that read, "Enough is enough."

Comments

[spoonflipper]

03:29 PM on 12/10/2009

I was there, there were more than 300 people at the rally.
How much does the state of California spend on the average inmate? They get 3 square meals a day, free place to stay, heat, air conditioning, health care (even if it s.cuks it's better than no health care), electricity, and all their friends to hang out with. What do young innocent children get? One teacher, no classroom aide, all crammed up in one small bungalow,-­-sometimes the heat and air conditioning work, sometimes they don't--having to share desks, and a pet rat that lives under the bungalow ramp. Nice.

Yup, sounds like my childhood in the LAUSD. Gross cafeteria food (I'm not sure it could really be considered "food"), that sea of endless scalding blacktop and no grass to play on, 33 kids in class and not enough desks or books or supplies, sweaty bungalows and nonfuctionally disgusting bathrooms. Ah, memories.

[PWM]

02:52 PM on 12/10/2009

The GOP declared war on education of average Americans in the 80s. No surprise here.

[guendy]

11:56 AM on 12/10/2009

I was there, there were more than 300 people at the rally.
How much does the state of California spend on the average inmate? They get 3 square meals a day, free place to stay, heat, air conditioning, health care (even if it s.cuks it's better than no health care), electricity, and all their friends to hang out with. What do young innocent children get? One teacher, no classroom aide, all crammed up in one small bungalow,--sometimes the heat and air conditioning work, sometimes they don't--having to share desks, and a pet rat that lives under the bungalow ramp. Nice.

[2centsplain]

11:26 AM on 12/10/2009

So, what is our goal here, to produce home grown morons? This, our educational system, should be our number one priority. Go stand it the corner.

[emack2020]

09:01 PM on 12/09/2009

"Average class size would jump to 29 students from 24" Yes in the LOWER ELEMENTARY GRADES. Most other classes in secondary classes are normed (averaged) at 41!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!