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Parents, counselors and students urge Paramount Unified board not to cut school counselors
Summary
At the Feb. 11 board meeting, more than a dozen public commentators — students, counselors, a parent and a Teachers Association representative — urged the Paramount Unified School District to keep counseling staff, citing heavy caseloads (about 12,000 students and 34 counselors) and risks to college access and student safety.
At the Paramount Unified School District board meeting on Feb. 11, more than a dozen students, counselors and community members urged trustees not to cut counseling positions as the district confronts declining enrollment and budget pressure.
"Counseling services are absolutely needed and essential to student success and well-being," said Arianna Bates, a 24-year school counselor at Paramount High School, who described a typical day that includes parent conferences, senior graduation checks and meetings with dozens of students. Bates told the board that in the past six months more than 5,300 students had checked in for counseling services and warned that cuts would reduce college support and delay interventions for…
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