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Parents and teachers urge board to reverse staff reductions, cite impacts at Monroe, Burton and MLK
Summary
During an extended public‑comment period parents, teachers and students asked the board to restore assistant principal and key counseling/IRF positions, urged retention of choir teacher Jorel Chavez and pressed the district on inconsistent EL and translated materials support; petition signers reported 150–160 signatures for Monroe Elementary's assistant principal reinstatement.
A long public‑comment segment at the March 21 meeting focused on staffing and program cuts at multiple schools. Parents at Monroe Elementary presented a petition with more than 150 signatures and urged the board to reinstate an assistant principal role for a 558‑student site. "We need that position at our school," parent Mark Reddy said, noting the school's three strands and large immigrant population.
Speakers also strongly supported Burton High School choir teacher Jorel Chavez and pleaded with the board to keep him in the district following a reported non‑reassignment. Dozens of students, parents and former colleagues testified about Chavez's impact on student engagement, performance and extracurricular opportunities.
Representatives from Martin Luther King Middle School urged the board not to cut three full‑time positions (instructional reform facilitator, academic counselor and a math teacher), citing measurable gains in SBAC and local benchmarks and large reductions in referrals and suspensions since the positions were added. Teachers said loss of those roles could stall progress and harm students.
Other commenters sought translated instructional materials for immersion programs, better communication about campus incidents (caller said a school lockdown was insufficiently described in parent communications), and reiterated concerns about ELD implementation. Board members acknowledged hearing the pleas and asked staff to follow up with site leaders.
