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Parents and union urge board to clarify child-development layoffs and rehiring amid consent items
Summary
Multiple parents and United Educators of San Francisco speakers told the board they face confusion and harm from child-development layoffs and consolidation notices, urging the district to clarify which staff will return and to provide written placement information before votes on related agenda items.
Speakers at the Aug. 9 San Francisco Unified School District board meeting urged the district to resolve confusion over child-development layoffs and to provide clear, written information on who will return to work.
Dennis Kelly of the United Educators of San Francisco pointed the board to the consent-calendar materials and highlighted two figures on the agenda: $27,000,000 listed for early childhood education and $500,000 for arts-related activities. He asked why, if large sums are being received to support early childhood work, there remained ‘‘continuing and ongoing confusion about who is actually going to be working in the program.’’ Kelly said many employees who were separated as of July 1 had been extended only through Aug. 12 and urged the board to resolve staffing uncertainty before voting on related items.
Union and parent speakers described the impact on young children and classroom continuity. Pamela Ralph said abrupt staff changes harm young children’s trust and security. Betty Robinson Harris, chair of the UESF Child Development Committee, said ‘‘over 94 of my peers have gotten either consolidation notices or layoff notices’’ and that affected staff had not received written verification of assignments, calling the situation ‘‘immoral’’ and urging the district to provide placement details. Shante Rogers, a parent, described cases in which more-senior paraprofessionals were laid off while others with less experience remained, and said the choice hurt families and children who depend on established staff relationships.
Elizabeth Connolly, vice president for substitutes at UESF, said a small but vital corps of substitutes—some with decades of seniority—remained on separation lists without contracts and asked for assurance they would be given contracts and not be listed for separation.
Superintendent Garcia told the board he expected to bring data to the next board meeting and that the district would send information about vaccination clinics and related outreach; he also said paraprofessionals were being brought back and staff would provide an update on placement and rehiring status.
No formal board action on layoffs was recorded at the meeting; speakers asked for written verification, clear timelines, and that the district report back to the board on staffing status.
