Chico Unified School District braces to lay off 15 part-time st...

All organizations reach critical bloat at some point. The only true solution is to vent the balloon and let out the excess. Getting loans to keep the balloon overinflated only leads to a resounding "pop" when it explodes.

CUSD's choice: let out air or explode

I'm guessing they won't be able to do the former so it is likely to be the latter.

Cheers

"Chico Unified School District braces to lay off 15 part-time staff members"

That's a nice touch. They are laying off the least expensive employees that they have and keeping their supervisors the most expensive employees. I wonder why they are in financial trouble?

pypr wrote:

"Chico Unified School District braces to lay off 15 part-time staff members"
That's a nice touch. They are laying off the least expensive employees that they have and keeping their supervisors the most expensive employees. I wonder why they are in financial trouble?

You got it pypr. Why can't they all just take pay cuts? Same with Downtown and over in O-ville.

so Staley will be summarily fired. Is that something we get to watch?

So what do they save a year? 20 grand? That's chump change for the downtown executives. I'd just love to see THEM pull yard duty or cafeteria duty and see how they do.

You know, if a student does'nt perform, he/she gets a bad grade. How about a grading system for CUSD staff, administered by an unbiased third party. Anyone who does not perform their job to an established performance level gets the boot. It works in the professional world and these administrators are professionals, right? It should be about educating our children to the highest levels of achievement. Everything else should be secondary. Mabye that's too close to common sense for the administrator's (and a few underperforming teachers) comfort.

juanita wrote:

<quoted text>
You got it pypr. Why can't they all just take pay cuts? Same with Downtown and over in O-ville.
so Staley will be summarily fired. Is that something we get to watch?

The article said that the board would also have its power rescinded and would only be advisory. Why the heck would anyone want their advice? Would you really want to know what a guy like Rick Rees thinks about anything? Kathy Kaiser's opinion about teaching? I go to Chico State and her students evaluate her as one of the worst teachers at the school. I am not trying to rag on her as much as point out that it's ludicrous to realize that these people are the one who want to be the decision makers. That's why the State has to come in. If the board really cared about our children, they would ask for the shift in power to occur immediately.

CSU student and parent wrote:

<quoted text>
The article said that the board would also have its power rescinded and would only be advisory. Why the heck would anyone want their advice? Would you really want to know what a guy like Rick Rees thinks about anything? Kathy Kaiser's opinion about teaching? I go to Chico State and her students evaluate her as one of the worst teachers at the school. I am not trying to rag on her as much as point out that it's ludicrous to realize that these people are the one who want to be the decision makers. That's why the State has to come in. If the board really cared about our children, they would ask for the shift in power to occur immediately.

This is why Andrea Lerner Thompson must remain on the board. Her students rate her as the best! She knows something about teaching and is not a fool. She supported Jeff Sloan when no one else would and tried to save Marsh from extinction. She needs all of our support when it comes time for election again.

A school board needs to be together on everything or the public will take advantage of it. Andrea Thompson needs to support the team instead of what she's doing.

I hope people are educating themselves on what this state takeover really means. It will likely be the end of CUSD. All nonessential programs will be cut and students/parents will leave in droves to charter schools and the cycle will continue until the district is left with nothing but special education and minorities.

juanita wrote:

<quoted text>
You got it pypr. Why can't they all just take pay cuts? Same with Downtown and over in O-ville.
so Staley will be summarily fired. Is that something we get to watch?

because CUTA and CSEA won't agree to do it. The older employees that run those unions don't want their retirements impacted, so they won't take a cut. It's total B.S.

Fedupwithitall wrote:

You know, if a student does'nt perform, he/she gets a bad grade. How about a grading system for CUSD staff, administered by an unbiased third party. Anyone who does not perform their job to an established performance level gets the boot. It works in the professional world and these administrators are professionals, right? It should be about educating our children to the highest levels of achievement. Everything else should be secondary. Mabye that's too close to common sense for the administrator's (and a few underperforming teachers) comfort.

that would be fantastic. Now get the union groups to agree to it. They would have to give up tenure. Not going to happen.

another perspective wrote:

A school board needs to be together on everything or the public will take advantage of it. Andrea Thompson needs to support the team instead of what she's doing.

Oh come on. Andrea has integrity and is willing to do what she was elected to do. The board is NOT supposed to be some football team running a play. Isn't that what Scott Brown pushed on them? He preyed on their ignorance and convinced them to jump off a bridge if he asked them. He counted on weak minds to join him. Read the history of people who went to Jonestown. Our school board has done that for too long. It is my impression that Andrea is one who is strong enough to resist the indoctrination that has consistently failed this district. Give her an applause for voting against the others.

A number of years ago, I was 'downsized' as the economy had changed and the owners of the business had to make some hard decisions. Although I understood their rationale, it forced me to make tough decisions as well. I reviewed our families monthly expenditures. Cable TV, cell phones, water, PG&E, house payment, car payments, insurance, groceries, movies, going out to dinner, etc. Everything that we did not need was turned off or eliminated. Groceries, PG&E, gasoline usage was reduced and/or coupons clipped. I state that story and hope that the current Board will do the same. Unless the position teaches our children, helps keep the place clean, keeps the lights on, then it should be 'downsized'. But given the current Administration and Board of Trustees, this is crazy talk.

Parents in Chico should check out Four Winds of Indian Education. It's a charter school, located on Park St. in Chico, with Butte County Office of Education (B.C.O.E.). I don't understand why some parents think there is no alternative to CUSD. Boggles my mind. They think they have to place their kids in a failing school system. They really don't. CUSD won't tell them this; 'cause, they want the money.

Thats it. Cut off the most needy and vulnerable. I understand that you teachers and administrators could easily afford to take a slight cut and save these jobs. But I see too that it is better this way. This helps keep the public and the media engaged in demanding more money for us, and our unions. It also teachers those in the lower trenches to behave and obey our unions. I get it! F*ing selfish hypocrites!

ohboy wrote:

<quoted text>
that would be fantastic. Now get the union groups to agree to it. They would have to give up tenure. Not going to happen.

LOL...definitely. When I went through the public school system (too many years ago to admit :), it was about education and achievement. Period. There was music, art, sports, theater, debate team, chess club, automotive technology and on and on. And academics were taught from text books, not idealogical soapboxes. When did it stop being about the kids and become about power, perks and politics? Disgusting...

Well, this is just peachy. I wonder how long we part time classified employees will have to wait before we find out which one of our positions (or combination there of) are going to be on the chopping block next. If it's the health assistants, parents please be advised that the general office staff are in no way equipped to be able to tend to your children's injuries and illnesses for the entire school day along with all of their other responsibilities. During peak times when there tend to be a higher number of students visiting the health office it will be utter chaos. With a ratio of one nurse to 4 or 5 schools, on top of caring for your children when they are hurt or sick we are the eyes and ears for them with regard to everything that occurs when they are not there. We perform the basic functions that a nurse would were every school able to have a full time nurse as was the case "back in the day". Please pay attention to this parents because depending upon which positions they're talking about, your kids could end up being negatively affected more than you realize. More than just indirectly.

This is what the experts say?
Over all, I would say most "experts" are like the name implies "X- SPERMS sperted". As in like wasted "educated idiots" with mostly a swollen and rotten ego that is interested in notoriety as well as money. People who believe the toilet paper that the certified certificate some college dean, a professional expert extortionist has awarded them is written on is holy stuff.
To elaborate, an expert is not much different than a placebo. It is who we chose to trust and believe. Any expert in any court can be countered with some other expert. Especially if there is enough money involved. Take global warming as an example.
So in what do I trust that will not trick me? "POT AND THOUGHT" home grown and organic, straight from mother earth, and organic food, nothing refined or with a face. That is a drug I trust, one not tampered with by professional experts wanting to make a buck weather I live or die. My opinion is that Monsanto and companies like it have killed or at least done more harm than they have done good. Like Fire fighters.

Isn't globalism great , welcome to walmart !

CSEA Employee wrote:

Well, this is just peachy. I wonder how long we part time classified employees will have to wait before we find out which one of our positions (or combination there of) are going to be on the chopping block next. If it's the health assistants, parents please be advised that the general office staff are in no way equipped to be able to tend to your children's injuries and illnesses for the entire school day along with all of their other responsibilities. During peak times when there tend to be a higher number of students visiting the health office it will be utter chaos. With a ratio of one nurse to 4 or 5 schools, on top of caring for your children when they are hurt or sick we are the eyes and ears for them with regard to everything that occurs when they are not there. We perform the basic functions that a nurse would were every school able to have a full time nurse as was the case "back in the day". Please pay attention to this parents because depending upon which positions they're talking about, your kids could end up being negatively affected more than you realize. More than just indirectly.

so, will you pledge as a CSEA employee to back temporary salary rollbacks to keep the district out of receivership? If not, you don't understand the situation. Take the cut now or later. Your choice. It's going to happen.