Home Antioch Letter Writer Says Antioch Unified Cutting Classified Staff, Including Library Staff

Letter Writer Says Antioch Unified Cutting Classified Staff, Including Library Staff

by ECT

The following Letter to the Editor was submitted by Samantha Loza

Dear Editor:

I would like to make the community aware of upcoming budget cuts at the Antioch Unified School District. This Wednesday (March 20) at 7:00pm there will be a School Board meeting in the board room at the district office. At this meeting, the district will propose cuts to be voted on.

Among these cuts will be $775,000 worth of classified staff. Around 29% of that will be Library Media Technicians (elementary school librarians). In the past when budget cuts were made, library tech’s were laid off. Full time school libraries were not staffed. Some schools only had a library open two days a week.

When this happened, there was a drop in reading scores, love for reading, and books in general. We are seeing the result at the middle school and high school level now. Since library services have been restored, reading scores have began to improve. Some of our students never hear a story read to them aside from in the library or the classroom. Others are not able to afford to purchase books because it is just not in their budget.

Books are treasures to students who sometimes need to escape the hard realities they are living in. Libraries are a safe place for students, and librarians in our district are not just librarians. We do not just read to kids. We participate in PBIS programs such as Tool Box or Mindfulness. We plan activities and stories to support what is going on in the classroom. We teach literacy. We feed the inquiring minds of students daily. We process books and keep open schedules to accommodate teachers and students. We do yard duty in the mornings and after school. We plan fundraisers, book fairs, and family events. Some of us participate in PTO’s/PTA’s at our school sites. Others sit in on School Site Council meetings, and more. We are valuable.

If, as a community, we can agree that reading is important and has a place in everyday life, how can we not then say that libraries are not just as important? Let’s face it, we all know that cuts need and have to be made because at the end of the day, the budget is the budget. However, why do the librarians have to feel close to 29% of that cut? Why aren’t there more cuts being made to the high paid employees at the district office? Why aren’t we looking into programs such as the organics program offered by Republic Services as the Benicia School District and many restaurants in the area have adopted to save money? Why do our students have to suffer?

Our students will lose instructional assistants, reading teachers, librarians, and more.

Out of 92 classified classifications, librarians will take 29% of the hit? Do not sit by and just watch this happen. Let your voice be heard at the meeting Wednesday night. Afterall, We are AUSD.

To view the agenda item (14-B), please visit the AUSD Website

Thank you,
Samantha Loza

 

You may also like

10 comments

Karen R Mar 17, 2019 - 6:11 am

This isn’t news, the public was told and warned that cuts would come with the opening of Charter Schools. They have to cut. Remember this when you consider joining the Antioch Chamber of Commerce who heavily advocated for the charter school which costs AUSD jobs. Boycott those Board Member businesses. Cancel your memberships. Demand they fire Richard Pagano as CEO.

Arne Mar 17, 2019 - 12:25 pm

What? You want to “boycott” Antioch businesses? Not good!! Parents chose to send their children to the charter schools by choice. They pay property & sales taxes just like everyone else. Plus, Prop 98 guaranteed 40% of the state budget to schools which also made K-12 schools responsible to paying for crossing guards and school resource officers.

Antioch Public School Parent Mar 17, 2019 - 5:52 pm

I don’t think she means we should boycott all Antioch businesses, just the businesses of Chamber board members. Here they are:

PG&E
Law Office of Matthew Hart
Kaiser Permanente
Clifton Creative Web
Somersville Towncentre
Service Pros Plumbers
McGill & Associates
Diablo Analytical
Prime Vintage Realty
Auto Diagnostic & Repair
Dow Chemical
Markstein Sales Company
McDaniel Financial Services
BevMo!
Sate Farm Insurance
Wright Start Chiropractic

ECT Mar 18, 2019 - 7:16 am

Some of those companies actually provide great services and products. A boycott is unnecessary.

Steve Mar 18, 2019 - 2:06 pm

Happy to all boycott these businesses except PGE and Kaiser, as they are crucial services to me.

Julio Mar 17, 2019 - 4:12 pm

Fire Mr Pagano? Really? Fire the superintendent of schools would be more productive.

ECT Mar 17, 2019 - 4:31 pm

People should stop talking about firing one another and instead finding ways to build a bridge to bring people together. Too much wasted time arguing over a bunch of nothing.

Some one has grown up @ ECT Mar 17, 2019 - 7:26 pm

Wow etc, mike you’ve come a long way.

Michelle Mar 17, 2019 - 5:25 pm

Well now the school board has Mary Rocha on board… she did so much for the city all the years she was on city council. Oh yea I am jut being a smart A$$!

Jerry Mar 17, 2019 - 8:58 pm

If the college admissions scandal has shown us, K-12 education in America is based on $$$. Kids don’t deserve education or even health care in this country unless they or their guardian can fork the bill.

Comments are closed.