SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Unified School District board approved major layoffs to close a $94 million funding gap.
More than four hundred teachers, administrators, school bus drivers, and other staff could receive layoffs as early as next week.
Several are fighting the cuts, including a group of parents at the district’s only Mandarin immersion school where the Mandarin Resource teacher position could be eliminated.
“As you might expect there is not a lot of store-bought Mandarin language curriculum out there, and also at the district level there is really no support for that role that is critical for that,” said Jeanette Woodward, Barnard Mandarin Magnet Elementary PTA president. “Her role is critical to our success.”
This cut is part of the district’s efforts to close a $94 million gap after COVID relief funds end this year.
The school board will vote on Tuesday to lay off more than 400 jobs including teachers, administrators, and others including language immersion teachers.
“I do not have a Mandarin speaker at home so the Mandarin resources that the district provides are critical for my family to be able to support my two children’s education,” said Julia Boueres, school parent.
The Espejo family drives from Chula Vista to Pacific Beach to attend Barnard.
“My daughter is proud to say that she is not only bilingual, but she is learning to speak Mandarin and I’m learning along with her Raquel Espejo remembers the challenges of integrating Spanish in schools when she was a kid.
“Not too long ago you could only dream of that education,” said Espejo.
She has a stepdaughter who once attended Barnard and her 6-year-old is excelling at the magnet school and learning Mandarin and the culture.
“Barnard is helping us to be more global, more tolerant more inclusive,” said Espejo.
Woodward said a few weeks ago the principal asked if the PTA would pay for the position.
“As much as we would want to, we just don’t have the funds to do it as it is, we already support where there are gaps and we already pay for language assessment,” said Woodward.
Parents hope they can rally the district to cobble together enough money to support the backbone of the school.
“It’s a small amount of money to support this one’s staff position. It needs to be in the budget,” said Boueres.
CBS 8 spoke to the school board vice president, Cody Petterson, he represents the district where Barnard is located and says the concerns are valid and the district is dedicated to finding a solution.
Under state law, the district must issue layoff notices and reassignments by March 15.
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