Beaumont School District Seeks to Cut 41.9 Teaching + Counseling Positions

Beaumont Unified School District administrators want to reduce by layoff or reassignment up to 41.9 teaching and counseling positions for the 2012-2013 school year, according to the Feb. 28 board meeting agenda.

"The administration recommends the Board of Trustees adopt Resolution 2012-23 to reduce certificated bargaining unit and certificated management positions for the 2012-2013 school year and to layoff of reassign certificated employees accordingly," an item on the agenda states.

The itemized recommendation lists reduced or eliminated services including:

- 22 Kindergarten through 5th Grade classroom teaching positions

- 3 6th Grade Core teaching positions

- 2 Middle school English Language/Arts teaching positions

- 2 Middle school Mathematics teaching positions

- 2 High school Mathematics teaching positions

- 2 High school English Language/Arts teaching positions

- 2 High school Social Studies/Social Science teaching positions

- 1.5 Secondary Physical Education teaching positions

- 3 School Counseling positions

The total number of positions to be reduced or eliminated is 41.9, according to the agenda item.

Due to the reduction or discontinuance of particular kinds of services, "the corresponding number of certificated employees of the District shall be terminated at the end of the 2011-2012 school year, pursuant to Education Code section 44955," the agenda item states.

The reduction of certificated staff will be achieved by termination of regular employees, not temporary or substitute employees, according to the District.

Jody Behrens-Blaul, Beaumont Teachers Association president and a First Grade teacher at Sundance Elementary, could not be reached to comment for this report. The BTA is the union representing more than 300 Beaumont teachers.

"I think it's ridiculous," said BTA member Nancy Gall, who teaches 9th grade through 12th grade in the Laura May Stewart alternative education program at 10th and Michigan in Beaumont. "The district has a large enough reserve to pay for everything next school year without any layoffs."

Gall has been with Beaumont Unified School District 23 years. She was elected to the City Council in 2008 and she is running re-election in November.

The Beaumont Unified School District board of trustees is scheduled to meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday Feb. 28, with open session starting about 6:30 p.m., at 500 Grace Ave., Beaumont.

For more information, visit beaumont-ca.schoolloop.com/agendas or call (951) 845-1631.