School Board Greenlights Start of Labor Agreement Negotiations, Faces Pressure Over Staffing and Safety

The Pasadena Board of Education on Thursday authorized district leaders to begin negotiations on a sweeping labor pact with local building trade unions, while parents and teachers pressed trustees on staffing shortages, school safety, and class consolidations that have roiled campuses in the wake of the Eaton Fire.

By unanimous vote, the board approved a resolution directing Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco or her designee to enter into talks on a Community Workforce Agreement (CWA) that would set uniform terms for wages, benefits, and hiring on upcoming bond-funded construction projects

District officials said the move is intended to ensure labor stability and expand opportunities for local and small businesses as more than $1 billion in facilities projects get underway.

Union representatives filled the boardroom, urging adoption of enforceable local-hiring goals and apprenticeship pathways for students.

“This is an opportunity to build not just schools, but also trust, opportunity and equity.” said Ronald Matthews, a local hiring coordinator, who pushed for binding targets for small business participation and female workers.

Parents Sound Alarm on Staffing and Class Sizes

During a lengthy public comment period, parents from Octavia Butler Magnet and other schools warned that crowded classrooms and teacher shortages are worsening learning loss. Several said Butler, a STEM magnet, has entered its seventh week without permanent science instructors, leaving students with rotating substitutes. Physical education classes of up to 70 students were described as unsafe.

“We are now entering week seven without permanent science teachers,” said a parent speaker on behalf of Butler families. She added that students were being rotated through substitutes, resulting in lost instruction time

Concerns also surfaced from families in French dual-language immersion programs, who said midyear teacher transfers destabilized already-strained programs at Altadena Arts Magnet and Eliot Arts.

“That disruption is not just an inconvenience, it is a real academic risk.” said neuroscientist and parent Dr. Emily Rosario, warning that disruption compounds trauma for children displaced by the fire

Safety Concerns After Swatting Incidents

Blair High School parents amplified calls for tighter campus security following several recent swatting incidents that triggered lockdowns. PTA leaders and students asked the board to prioritize installing a perimeter fence around Blair, citing fear of shootings and immigration enforcement. The board later approved plans for the fence, though construction is not expected until at least summer 2026

Student Board Member Germon Maxey also cited the swatting incidents and urged stronger safety measures. She joined peers in decrying cuts to the federally funded Upward Bound program at Pasadena City College, which had supported dozens of PUSD students before losing federal funds

Other Board Actions

The board also:

• Approved resolutions affirming the sufficiency of instructional materials for the 2025-26 school year after county inspectors verified compliance
  PUSD September 25
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• Adopted environmental exemptions for modernization projects at John Muir High, Longfellow Elementary, and Allendale Elementary
  PUSD September 25
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• Heard an update on upcoming Measure O and Measure R bond issuances, with consultants warning of flat property valuations due to fire-related losses
  PUSD September 25
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• Postponed action on a new artificial intelligence policy after trustees raised concerns over environmental impacts, equity, and lack of teacher consultation. The issue will return following further review
  PUSD September 25