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Community speakers urge Long Beach Unified to reconsider library staffing cuts
Summary
Parents, librarians and educators told the Long Beach Unified Board that proposed reductions to librarian and media assistant positions would undermine equitable access to libraries, citing specific proposed cuts and research linking libraries to student achievement.
Public commenters packed the board meeting to plead with the Long Beach Unified School District to reverse proposed cuts to school libraries and student-facing staff.
Karin Wasinger, a teacher librarian at Poly High School, said her site sees "over 450 daily student visits, often surpassing 500," and warned that the district’s proposal would eliminate the full-time media assistant who helps sustain that demand. "I really don't know how I will continue to maintain our collection to meet our student needs and interests," she told the board.
Several speakers linked the staffing proposals to broader district priorities. Jamie Vallianos, a 27-year LBUSD educator, said central office…
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