Parent's Tearful Appeal Can't Save Jobs of College Student Helpers

With tears in her eyes and kids at her side, Dawn Cummins stood at the lectern and addressed the La Mesa-Spring Valley school board Tuesday night.  Don't cut the college students who helped her fifth-grade son reach grade level in reading, she said.  Don't let go of Murdock Elementary's part-time teacher aides, she pleaded.

Her family had bought their home in unincorporated La Mesa because of the  schooling, she said, but now "I'm afraid they're not going to get" that same quality of education, gesturing toward Nathan, 10, and Morgan, almost 8.

The appeal was for naught.  District officials already had moved to eliminate the jobs of perhaps 14 "student helpers"—collegians heading toward an education degree who worked 8-10 hours a week and gave some students special attention. Their last days are Friday.

The board listened in silence. It was the public hearing part of the meeting at district headquarters in La Mesa; no action could be taken.

As it turns out, Superintendent Brian Marshall said he exercised his own authority to cut student helpers at perhaps seven schools—at least at campuses where safety or contractual agreements allowed such layoffs.  The schools normally hire and fire  student helpers. Now it's the province of the central office, the board was told.

Jay Steiger, who said he spoke as a Murdock parent and not a La Mesa-Spring Valley school board candidate, made the same appeal earlier, saying: "These helpers are an asset to the district ... and to our children." 

He said he'd only just heard of the sudden layoffs—from people at Murdock Elementary.

After Cummins came Paul Schnaubelt, president of the La Mesa-Spring Valley Teachers Association, speaking on more general budget issues and declaring: "I'm not here to protect anything." He urged the board to cease using "the red pencil," which he called "presentism ... cutting without thought."

"We're asking the board to think [about] what we're doing," he said. "Follow the child through the day," week, month and year to "cost out" what they truly need. "Stop trying to protect the territory."

Then Schnaubelt got specific.

Saying "we're not at labor war; we're at labor peace," he called for a "base program. ... If we can't afford principals anymore, that is what we have to do."

With board president Emma Turner being "away on family health concerns," according to member Rick Winet—who ran the meeting in her absence—the remaining four heard another pessimistic report from the superintendent on school finance.

The state Legislature's reported budget deal is "wishing on a star" and assumes federal revenues it may not get, Marshall said. "These are dire times. The state's solution is no solution," and the district may face midyear cuts.

"We're all working harder," he said. "These are the worst of times. And I don't see it getting any better."