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Parents and teachers press Pasadena Unified to stop layoffs, school closures and consolidations
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Summary
Dozens of public commenters urged the Pasadena Unified board to halt proposed consolidations, rescind layoffs and invest in schools including Don Benito, Marshall, Madison and Blair, citing equity, accessibility and trauma from recent fires and COVID.
Dozens of parents, teachers and community members filled the meeting and used the public comment period to press the Pasadena Unified School District board to reconsider layoffs and proposed school consolidations.
Speakers named specific schools and concerns. Matthew Streetsky, a parent, urged the board not to close Blair, noting the campus—rebuilt in 2011 and updated in 2019—provides accessibility that benefits his daughter who uses a wheelchair. "Blair es un lugar inclusivo," he said, asking the board to keep the school open. Teachers and parents from Don Benito warned that closing the school would drive families away from PUSD; Bryan Backley, identifying himself as a Don Benito parent, said families “would not have a plan B” if their school closes.
Multiple speakers representing Marshall, Madison and San Rafael stressed that closures and layoffs would disproportionately harm low-income students and programs such as mariachi and athletics. One commenter said Marshall serves a student population where 59% are classified as low income and warned that closing the school would remove supports for vulnerable families. Teachers and union representatives asked the board to reinstate positions cut in prior rounds and to avoid making temporary employees the first to lose work.
Speakers asked the board to delay decisions while the district’s conciliation process and committee recommendations are finalized. At least one teacher said she had 36 students in her classroom, highlighted long tenure among staff facing layoffs and urged the board to find alternatives to reduce classroom instability.
The district and union representatives acknowledged staffing and budget pressures; union speakers urged the board to prioritize staff retention. The public-comment record at the meeting captures broad community opposition to consolidations and layoffs and contains requests for confidential follow-up for families raising sensitive safety concerns.
Board members and staff acknowledged the emotional weight of the decisions and said some actions were part of a five-year planning process tied to state funding timelines; they indicated they would continue work with human resources and community partners while pursuing funding and planning for facilities.
