Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1522302
UNITED TEACHERS LOS ANGELES Thousands of UTLA members joined SEIU Local 99 members for a massive rally in early May outside Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) headquarters to demand Superintendent Alberto Carvalho and the school board reverse $6.3 billion in cuts that will have devastating impacts on students. The #CarvalhoCuts will mean less time for students to meet with school psychologists, school counselors and social workers; less help in the classroom, especially for students with special needs; fewer arts, dance, music and elective programs; reduced support for the district's Black Student Achievement Plan, English learner programs and community schools; higher class sizes; and less staff to keep schools safe and clean. Carvalho's budget cuts mean schools across Los Angeles will lose people who support students, campus safety and educational instruction, including campus aides, class size reduction teachers, library aides, art and music teachers, school nurses and custodians, among others. Special education teacher Tamara Wall says they are losing their full-time school psychologist to having one only two days a week. "When we have a student who's in crisis, it's our school psycholo- gist who is there to support the student and the administrators and the teacher," says Wall, a UTLA member. "It's definitely going to hurt all around not to have that support every day." Thousands flooded the streets surrounding the district office in a sea of UTLA red and SEIU purple, banging drums and chanting to let the superintendent and school board know the community is ready to fight for the schools L.A. students deserve. " We're sending a clear, unified message to the superinten- dent and the school board that these deep cuts are unfair and unjust ," high school teacher and UTL A member William Chavez told EdSource. Stay current on the ongoing situation in Los Angeles and find out how to support at utla.net. FARMERSVILLE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION FTA members had a very busy spring, fighting back against layoffs and winning a contract after voting to authorize a strike. FTA organized and mobilized for the resources needed to recruit and retain edu- cators, building a community movement for the schools students deserve in Farmersville, in Tulare County. " We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from the community of Farm- ersville," said FTA President Richard Dybas, after FTA's strike vote. " We appreciate the support of our teachers, parents, community and classified staff." The fight for a new contract was also a fight to rescind 11 certificated layoffs that were approved by the school board by a narrow 3–2 margin, despite FTA teachers and community rallying at the meeting to save the jobs. As of press time, FTA leaders are planning to take the issue directly to the Farmersville community and show them how the school district is cutting from the class- room instead of the district office — while some of the layoffs have been rescinded, there are still six positions being cut. "Education is important , and we seem to be the only ones fighting for Farmersville students to get an education they deserve," Dybas told the Visalia Times Delta. Just a few of the thousands of UTLA members rallying against #CarvalhoCuts. FTA members fight for a new contract and to rescind layoffs. 29 S U M M E R 2 0 24