Thousands of UTLA members, SEIU 99 members, parents, and students brought the budget fight to LAUSD’s doorstep yesterday to demand that the district use the projected $6.3 billion in reserves to restore school-site budgets and protect students from staffing and program cuts.

Critical positions such as special education assistants, PSAs, PSWs, school psychologists, library aides, IT and tech support staff, art and music teachers, custodians, and campus aides are all at risk due to LAUSD underfunding sites.

Carvalho is attempting to centralize district funding and take decision making away from school sites, trying to cover his power grab with claims of fiscal necessity.

“Year after year, the district claims that it will be in dire financial straits if they fully fund the schools LA deserves, yet the reserve keeps going up,” UTLA President Cecily Myart-Cruz said. “The district’s projected $6.3 billion reserve is three times the reserve they had in 2019. We refuse to stand by as our schools lose critical staff and resources, and we refuse to let the district prioritize anything above our students’ well-being and success.”

Send a message now to school board members demanding the district fully restore funding for schools. 

“We teachers see every day how staff members [who are being cut] help our students feel safe, valued, and seen in countless ways in the classroom, in the hallways, on the yard, in the cafeteria, and on the bus. These are those close and consistent human interactions and relationships that bring our students back to campus day in and day out. If our students are our most precious resource, then the district must put the $6 billion of our tax money it is hoarding into the people who directly support students.”

—Luis Mora, Science & Health Teacher, Harry Bridges Span School

“Many workers facing cuts are on the front lines of student safety. As a campus aide, I do a security check of bathrooms, locker rooms, unlocked doors every day. We’re trusted adults out on the playgrounds and students talk to us about bullying and other issues. It makes no sense to cut essential student services.”

—Luis Torres, Campus Aide, Gompers Middle School

“We are losing two days of our beloved UTLA Psychiatric Social Worker. Our PSW is always available for our students in need going through the hardest of times mentally and emotionally.  What will we do next year when a student crying in my classroom asks to see our PSW? Will I have to say, ‘Oh well, he’s only here Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, so have that mental breakdown tomorrow?’ “

—Cheryl Zarate, Science & Leadership Teacher, King Middle School

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