Teachers face potential layoffs across LAUSD

Brandon Gilden

In an effort to deal with the nearly $160 million deficit, the school Board of Education sent layoff notices to more than 2,400 employees.

The plan, supported by Superintendent Ramon Cortines, sent pink slips notices to more than 260 teachers, 59 counselors and 1,800 administrators for the first time since 2012. A pink slip is a notice of dismissal from employment and are more often given to teachers who don’t have much experience teaching.

Thomas Wild, a math teacher at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School, was one teacher to receive a pink slip notice from the district. Wild is not fully tenured, meaning he isn’t guaranteed to return next year, which is a main cause for the notice.

“I’m as safe as you can feel with any job,” Wild said. “It’s hard to get secure with any job. Secure is a state of mind; things happen.”

Principal Deb Smith believes his job is in no harm as his position is actually in need of hiring.

“Even though he got a pink slip, we also know that L.A. Unified is hiring math teachers because there is a shortage,” Smith said. “Even though he got the pink slip, we know he is not going to be let go because there is a shortage in math teachers.”

According to an ABC 7 News story on March 10, the notices could be rescinded this month when Gov. Jerry Brown unveils the proposal. The students are also against seeing their teachers and workers leave.

“I do not want to see teachers leave their school because of money being a factor,” senior Elizabeth Hovanesian said. “They spent years in college to get their teaching degree and can’t afford to have an extended amount of time off. And the other staff members spend countless hours keeping schools up and going so they shouldn’t suffer for their hard work either.”