North Monterey County USD approves staffing cuts
The North Monterey County Unified School District has decided to move forward with a restructuring plan that effectively lays off at least 15 staff members for the next school year.
“I’m pretty disappointed with what just happened in there. I feel like we weren’t treated with the respect that we deserved,” said Ezekial Sumpter, a sophomore at North Monterey County High School. “We went in there, we voiced our opinions and this isn’t over, we have a lot of work to do.”
The district is facing a budget deficit, which they say means they have to make cuts.
On the chopping block: Two management positions, a public information officer and perhaps the most controversial, the five school-based mental health counselors.
“I was able to look forward to going to school and being able to vent to someone and let them know how I’m feeling and to get that help,” said Amelia Hernandez, a junior at NMCHS.
Hernandez came to a board meeting on Thursday to plead with members to keep the counselors part of the restructuring plan. She says she started a petition to try and show the amount of support she has.
“We’re not going to let this go down without a fight or at least a loophole or something we can get back out of it,” said Hernandez.
But ultimately, even after multiple comments from parents and students during the meeting, the board stuck with their decision.
“Disappointing. The students are disappointed, the staff members that are being affected are disappointed, we’re all disappointed because we showed up and it just felt like our voice wasn’t heard,” said Tina Sanchez, a parent.
The district says people whose contracts were not renewed for the next school year still get to apply for the different restructured job positions if they qualify. So it is possible there still could be people who perform some of the duties of mental health counselors at schools.
But parents and students say they will continue to fight.
KION tried speaking with the NMCUSD Superintendent Kari Yeater at the end of the meeting, but she insisted she had to go home and therefore had no comment to give.
