The TUSD Governing Board voted last night to issue notices to over 180 staff members that they will lose their jobs at the end of the school year. The vote carried 3-2, with members Michael Hicks and Cam Juarez voting against the proposed cuts.
Hicks opposed the measure due to concerns raised by district personnel that the cuts were being manipulated at the last hour to spare the jobs of “friends’ of Board members and cut less connected staff. Hicks also said that he couldn’t justify laying off teachers and librarians while we are hiring more administrators. “I’ve been having heartburn over this stuff and our budgeting. I have issues with how we came to this list, and I won’t be able to support it,” Hicks told his fellow board members.
New Board member Cam Juarez was joined by Board clerk, Kristal Foster, is claiming to be shocked that the cuts were coming. The two had won last year’s School Board race with the help of the teacher’s union who had been promised by the two that they would work to prevent cuts.
Those promises were hollow as long as the District proceeded with the closure of 11 schools. Union representatives continued to pretend to their members that teachers would follow the displaced students. However, all along the District had intended to overcrowd the remaining schools thereby eliminating the need for staff.
Last night, teacher after teacher came before the Board to plead for their jobs on “Teacher Appreciation Day.”
The Board also voted to approve the desegregation budget devised by the District and the Special Master, Willis Hawley. Stegeman and Hicks voted against the budget, due in part to plaintiff representative concerns that the actual spending formula is in violation of statute which prohibits supplanting.
Deputy Superintendent Maria Menconi, Deputy Superintendent told the Board that personnel had decided to “push back’ a start date for the newly developed multicultural courses. Superintendent Pedicone has fought hard to force all 9th grade students into the classes as fast as possible. That effort was challenged by plaintiff representatives and an outcry from the community.
High School administrator Abel Morado informed the Board about this year’s graduation. While he glossed over most details, he advised the Board that as to the number of students who are eligible to graduate this month. He ignored the information the Board had received regarding how many students would not be eligible for graduation. However he did note that unlike past years, the District would expect all graduates to have met all graduation requirements.
The Board packet read:
Graduation Information:
“The following chart represents information about this year’s graduation ceremony. I have included information about the time and date for each graduation ceremony, along with how many graduates we are expecting. I am also including the number of students who still need to pass the AIMS math test in order to be eligible to graduate. A student must meet all graduation requirements in order to be eligible to participate in the graduation ceremony.”
|
Time and Place of Graduation
|
Projected Number
of Graduates
|
Seniors Needing to
Pass AIMS Math
|
ELL/ExEd Srs. Needing to Pass AIMS Math
|
SY 11-12 Non-Grads Due to AIMS
|
|
| AGAVE |
5:00 pm TUSD Governing Board Room |
15 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Catalina |
7:30 pm Nicholson Stadium |
209 |
12 |
1 ELL/0 ExEd |
17 |
| Cholla |
7:00 pm Ed Brown Stadium |
291 |
61 |
6 ELL/31 ExEd |
4 |
| Howenstine |
7:00 pm Leo Rich Theater |
36 |
12 |
1 ELL/7 ExEd |
1 |
| Meredith |
1:00 pm Vocational Classroom |
1 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
| Palo Verde |
7:30 pm PVHMS Football Stadium |
182 | 1 | 16 ExEd | 12 |
|
Project More
|
4:00 pm Auditorium |
14 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Pueblo |
7:00 pm Lou Farber Field |
225 | 105 |
7 ELL/36 ExEd |
16 |
| Rincon |
7:00 pm Ranger Stadium |
183 | 34 |
6 ELL/20 ExEd |
13 |
| Sabino |
7:30 pm Football Stadium |
266 | 8 |
0 ELL/2 ExEd |
0 |
| Sahuaro |
7:30 pm Football Stadium |
370 | 2 |
0 ELL/30 ExEd |
4 |
| Santa Rita |
7:30 pm TCC |
243 | 61 |
3 ELL/37 ExEd |
5 |
| Tucson |
7:00 pm Gridley Stadium |
599 | 137 | 6 ELL/51 ExEd | 17 |
| University |
7:00 pm Centennial Hall |
205 | 0 | 0 | 0 |