Public, students steamed by impact of librarian cuts at Grossmont Union schools

Valhalla High School alum Madeline McCurry-Schmidt of La Mesa sports a banana costume and sign saying This Board is Bananas during the Grossmont Union High School District meeting on Thursday Sept Photo by Drew Sitton Times of San Diego The Grossmont Union High School District board majority voted in favor of letting teachers teach outside of their subject expertise in its first meeting of the school year District trustees also approved a new job description for an educational tool coordinator Particular members of the society though decried these motions as only necessary due to the district eliminating the roles of instructor librarians along with staff turnover One parent in a banana costume with a sign reading this board is bananas suggested the district tech coordinator would not be as helpful as the librarians once present at each school were I agree with Ms Banana over there commented trustee Chris Fite He was the lone no vote during this year s layoff decisions and mentioned Thursday s actions seemed to be solutions to problems the board majority created Facilitator librarians who hold a bachelors degree California teaching credential and trainer librarian services credential have jobs that include more than just checking out books They teach digital literacy research skills and how to identify misinformation in addition to managing the library In hot mic comments last year trustee Robert Shield reported librarians are overpaid compared to teachers and do not work as hard The board claimed replacing librarians with uncredentialed library techs would save money Shield and the others who approved the layoffs have been hearing an earful ever since with particular targeted for recall James Messina president of the mentor s union Grossmont Teaching Association GEA noted June s budget adoption did not have a deficit the reason the board gave for Reductions In Force RIF He pointed out that revenue was higher and costs lower than anticipated in the preliminary - budget Along with several other speakers he urged the board to reinstate the nine mentor librarian jobs slashed from the - budget Everything we did last year is for nothing as we have an extra million Messina commented Please note that the increased ending balance was not from the employee eliminations because all the employees who were RIFed have been reinstated in the district in different positions so there is no cost savings whatsoever One former librarian certified he now teaches geography Library services impacted In masses comments a senior novice complained about new freshmen and sophomores trying to receive help with their Chromebooks only to find the library with its tech help desk closed multiple days in a row Your policies don t work the apprentice disclosed On social media photos have circulated purportedly of students trying to eat lunch in the library but being locked out Another learner West Hills High School senior Lillian Zehnder announced in general comments that clubs were scrambling to find new locations for meetings and academic league games I m begging you to give us our libraries back not just for me not just for this year but for the thousands of students who will come after because this is not just a budget cut This is a downfall of my school and my district Zehnder declared Another GEA board member Rebecca Short addressed new superintendent Kirsten Vital Brulte directly in populace comments after Vital Brulte sought to be given a chance as she meets with staff and students Our library is closed at lunch Our librarians are gone The tech endorsement is not enough Our counselors caseloads are too high Our class sizes are up our pay is down and curriculum assistance is absent Short disclosed Overall your educators feel attacked underappreciated and tired Superintendent Kirsten Vital Brulte gives her analysis during the Grossmont Union High School District meeting on Thursday Sept Photo by Drew Sitton Times of San Diego She described Vital Brulte building trust required wrongs to be righted In her own board document Vital Brulte addressed the skepticism she has encountered as the latest in a series of district leaders My response has been that while I hope everyone will come and take my word seriously it will be my actions and follow through that truly demonstrate that So I encourage you to pay close attention and see what I deliver the former Orange County-based superintendent revealed Recall efforts The board did not respond to much of the criticism leveled against them Trustee Jim Kelly present by phone questioned the Recall Scott Eckert effort Recall Scott Eckert organizers collect signatures ahead of the Grossmont Union High School District meeting in La Mesa on Sept Photo by Drew Sitton Times of San Diego Organizers from La Mesa trustee Scott Eckert s area were among those in the audience who made masses comments They also had a table outside where they collected signatures Attendance at school board meetings is down as compared to the spring when alarmed residents packed them to protest the proposed library cuts As a consequence inadequate to no new residents signed on to the recall effort Thursday However organizers explained their push to reach signatures is not flagging While out in the population they reported they have received warm feedback with multiple jumping on the opportunity to sign It s just wrong the way the board not just the decisions they made but the way they operated in secret So with each bit of knowledge we get I feel more and more motivated to not just show up to these meetings but to tell others about it Valhalla High School alum Madeline McCurry-Schmidt of La Mesa commented in an interview before donning her costume the woman Fife addressed as Ms Banana for the meeting After trustee Kelly s comments organizers noted La Mesa is the first but not the last area they plan to take their recall movement In inhabitants comments Greg Kelly of El Cajon revealed his intent to run in the next ballot whether regularly scheduled or a special recall