With pink slips going out to dozens of teachers across Santa Cruz County, education officials are concerned that music and art programs in schools could be the first to go. Based on the pink slips sent out so far, there simply aren’t enough teachers left to keep these classes going. The cuts come despite the Measure P parcel tax approved by voters two years ago, which was intended to ensure that these programs received adequate funding.
Monica McGuire is one of the people hoping to prevent this. As a member of the 15-person Oversight Committee for Measure P, she is charged with ensuring that the money is used exactly the way it was intended: to keep small classes, especially in K-3; to provide music and arts programs; and to keep qualified librarians in the schools. So far they have been able to ensure that the terms of the measure are kept, but this is getting increasingly difficult with all the cuts to local schools funding.
The Santa Cruz City School Board is scheduled to convene tomorrow evening to continue their discussions on cuts to their budget. Superintendent Gary Bloom is promising that staffing cuts will be made on the basis of seniority, rather than funding. Yet even if some art and music teachers get to keep their jobs, there is no assurance that the schools will be able to keep small class sizes in the lower grades. Measure P may end up being violated after all. Read more at KSBW.
