I received my pink slip two weeks ago, long before March 15 (California’s education code rule) when layoff notices must be delivered. A district personnel officer handed it to me in person. I think the human resources office thought we’d feel better if a human being delivered it instead of getting a certified letter in the mail.
Why would I feel better when the guy walked into my class while I was teaching and said, “How are things going today?” Can you believe how obtuse that was?
What was I supposed to say, “Oh fine, and how’s your day?” while holding up my hand to indicate wait to the child who was waving furiously for me to come help and accepting the letter in my other. As if receiving a RIF notice was going to make my day.
After school when I calmed down, I thought he could have said, “Hello, I’m glad to meet you even if I’m the bearer of bad news. Please know I’m sorry we are in such a bind.” At least it would have been admitting the quandary.
Here is what the teachers in California are doing. It started last fall when University of California students, initially over tuition increases, decided to have demonstrations up and down the state on March 4, 2010. Then the State University students joined in, angry about all the cuts to state university public education.
Then the news came out that San Francisco schools would have a $113 million deficit beginning next year. Parents began to devise ways to raise money. The usual: another parcel tax measure, asking businesses to match funds raised by PTA’s, a surcharge on movie tickets. I laughed reading San Francisco legislator Tom Ammiano’s pitch for regulating and taxing marijuana purchases to raise money for schools.
Of course, the district is doing the same as my district: layoffs, furlough days, no professional development, summer school cuts.
Same ole, same ole. Too bad.
But teachers and students in public universities and community colleges and teachers in public elementary and high schools throughout the state and across 2 dozen other states according to the San Francisco Chronicle are demonstrating on Thursday.
In colleges, there will be marches. I did my undergraduate work at San Francisco State and I’ve heard students there have built giant puppets, La Llorona weeping for her students and a skeleton with a graduation cap to show that students will still be paying off their fees when they’re dead. I suppose humor helps you laugh instead of cry.
At our elementary school we will all wear black to signify the loss of school staff and support for students. During social studies the fourth grade classes who, remember, study California history and government will have a lesson on how schools and libraries and the police and fire departments are paid for. During the time for writing, they will compose letters to the governor describing which services are important to them and offering ideas to help the government. Fulfills several grade 4 standards, but most important students are analyzing what they know to synthesize new ideas and write them down.
After school, I’ve heard many teachers will join demonstrations at city halls or along well-traveled intersections on the peninsula, but as of this post I’m not sure where my union will participate.
By the June primary elections I tell you, people are really going to be furious as cuts get worse and services collapse. Even though initiatives are troublesome to me, seven likely to be on the ballot aim to increase funds to support schools and other social services. All because so far the legislature has not found a way to finance support for state services or schools that used to be the best in the United States.