Teachers to Protest Job Cuts

Long Beach teachers plan to protest expected job cuts at the Board of Education meeting Tuesday night, when the public school district will unveil its proposed 2011-12 budget at the Middle School.

Steve Freeman, president Long Beach Classroom Teachers Association and a library media specialist at the Middle School, said that the number of teachers who were informed that they will not return next school year is higher than usual.

According to Freeman, eight teachers were informed that they will not receive tenure this year and therefore will not return to the district in September, and four teachers were informed that their positions would be reduced from full-time to part-time.

Moreover, four teachers will be excessed, which means that their positions will be eliminated due to declining enrollment or budgetary considerations.

“They will be placed on a preferred eligibility list for seven years and have the right to return to work should a position in their tenure area become available,” Freeman wrote in an email to Patch.

Freeman also wrote that “several” teachers who are serving in leave replacement positions will not return in September, since the teachers they substitute for are either returning to service or their positions will be eliminated.

“At this point in time, I believe that two elementary, 2.6 library-media, 3.5 special education, 1.9 art, 1 music, 1 social studies, .2 technology positions are being eliminated,” Freeman said. “We will all know more on Tuesday when the proposed budget is released.”

Superintendent Dr. Robert Greenberg was unavailable for comment on Monday afternoon, and Dept. Superintendent Dr. Randie Berger said it would be improper for her to comment on any budgetary matters prior to board receiving the budget.

School Board Trustee Patrick Gallagher said that he welcomed the teachers to attend tomorrow’s meeting. “I hope they all come and get informed of the situation,” Gallagher said. “I think it’s been misrepresented by their union leadership.”

LBCTA members have been asked to attend this meeting “as a demonstration of solidarity with those who will not be returning in September,” Freeman said, and members of the Long Beach Schools Employees Association (LBSEA) have been asked to attend this meeting “to urge the Board of Education to come to the bargaining table to negotiate a new contract.”

The LBSEA has worked under the terms of an expired agreement since July 1, 2010. The LBSEA represents the district's support personnel, including teaching assistants, building aides, clerical workers, bus drivers and mechanics, food service workers, custodians, cleaners, maintainers and groundsmen.