Cutting Deep

Struggling to balance its budget, the San Diego Unified School District is pouring over what more to cut.

It has already cut $46 million from its budget, but in light of the worsening state budget crisis, it must find another $134 million.

The Board will vote June 2 on whether to close small schools, eliminate the Town, Balboa Park, and Palomar Mountain programs, cut the number of landscapers, counselors, health techs, librarians, vice principals, and central office positions.

If it can not balance the budget with that, the Board may have to ask teachers to make concessions. The proposed concessions would include a change in the health care package, a salary rollback, a four day work furlough, among other items, all of which would have to be negotiated with the teacher's union.

"We stand ready to deal with the challenge before us with the School District, but we're not going to react too early," said Camille Zombro, head of the teacher's union. She said the District is only dealing with projected numbers from the state, so it will not talk about concessions, “because we haven’t seen information that tells us that is absolutely necessary."

“We know what's coming at us, and we need the union to help," board member Katherine Nakamura said.

Parent Sally Smith says she "would like to see the union make some concessions because the children are going to lose so many of the things children enjoy at school."