Public speakers urge Chula Vista board to reverse cuts to classified staff and school mental-health supports
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Summary
At a Chula Vista school board meeting, classified employees, teachers and parents warned that proposed cuts — including the planned elimination of about 30 behavior-support positions — would harm student continuity and mental-health services and urged the board to preserve those roles.
Rubí Williams, speaking for classified employees of Chula Vista, told the school board the district’s recent staffing decisions are undermining continuity for students and treating longtime employees as "disposable." She said: "No es inclusión, esto no es apoyo." Williams and other public speakers pressed the board to halt layoffs and prioritize stability for classified staff who provide daily support to classrooms.
Claudia Pérez, a classroom assistant, described student crises she manages and said 30 behavior-support positions across the district will be eliminated in June. "When you remove these people you remove safety, regulation and access to learning," she said, arguing the roles are "essential," not optional.
Teacher Delia Robinson and school nurse Laura Green emphasized the importance of on-site counseling and behavior specialists for early intervention. Green said staff have used local funds to pay for counselors, and that losing those services will create greater barriers to care. Several speakers asked the board to consider alternatives before reducing supports, including using Title I funds or grants to preserve positions.
Board members acknowledged the fiscal pressures outlined later in the meeting and said staff would bring follow-up reports. The board also opened negotiations with the classified employees’ organization (CBCEO) and scheduled additional updates; no formal reversals or funding commitments were made during the session.
The next procedural step recorded in the meeting was a request from board members for an updated, public report on student outcomes and the number of students currently not meeting standards, to be presented at a future meeting.