Students will start their summer vacations a week earlier next year after a decision by the San Diego Education Association, which is the city schools teachers' union, was approved by the district.
The five furlough days -- a budget cutting measure -- were voted on and approved by the board earlier this year. When they would be taken was a matter of debate around the district, with some parents hoping the district would eliminate five minimum days. In the end, though, the teachers union requested the timing of the furlough days and the school board approved the union request on April 27.
"Various employee unions do a have say over their work schedules," said San Diego Unified School District spokesman Jack Brandais, who also said that San Diego Unified's calendar was five days longer than the state requirement, so it is now in line with other districts.
Everybody agrees, of course, that students will receive less education as a result of the furlough days.
"This generation is going to have less contact time with their teachers," Union president Camille Zombro told KPBS. "They're going to have less instruction provided to them than the kids who came before them."
Zombro also told KPBS that the rank-and-file elected to take the end of year week off and lengthen the summer so that the furloughs would "have the least impact."
Students attending year-round classes will take a full week off in April instead of a long weekend and will also get a four-day weekend near the end of the school year.
