The Morongo Unified School District Board of Trustees held their regular meeting last night at Joshua Tree Elementary to standing room only, most of whom were Morongo Teachers Association members voicing their concern and solidarity against the Preliminary Classified Layoff Resolution that Board members were recommended to pass.
MTA President Amber Hanson started her Certified Representative Report with an impassioned indictment of the Board, demanding an explanation of the recent high assistant superintendents raises in contrast to the alleged lack of funding of the positions about to be abolished.
Hanson then stated high school math and English classes were increasing in defiance of MTA’s negotiations for smaller class sizes, and that the responsibility to fix this “damage of trust” lies with the Board.
Dr. Vargas defended the assistant superintendents’ raises to stay competitive with other regions, then provided a chart of the regions and their average pay, with MUSD still ranking the lowest, even after the recent raise negotiations.
Stacy Smalling spoke to offer clarity to the Layoff Resolution, that while many positions are being abolished many are also being established in their place, while also citing the loss of 200 students in the district.
Photo credit: Gabriel Hart
Once public comment commenced, the Board got earfuls from 9 frustrated teachers and staff, including nurses, and struggling special-ed instructors pleading for them to reconsider abolishing vital instructional assistants, campus security, and health technician positions.
When it came time to vote, various members of the Board were affected by the outpouring. Board member Christopher Claire agreed, citing his wife, an MUSD teacher, who often comes home in tears from lack of support from the district.
With a window of deadline approaching, the Board still voted 5/0 for the layoffs. However, when it came time to suggest future agenda items, Board members voted to reconsider class size increases and hiring practices for Instructional Assistants and Health Technicians.
CORRECTED 2/20: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that MUSD Board members received raises, when in fact it was assistant superintendents that received raises. Z107.7 regrets the error.
