Teacher Layoffs Spark Outcry Amid School District’s Budget Crisis and Eaton Fire Recovery

[Updated]  The Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education faced impassioned pleas from teachers and parents during a Thursday, March 13 Special Meeting as the Board reviewed the possibility of 117 teacher layoffs amid a $37 million budget deficit.

The likelihood of cuts, in the wake of January’s devastating Eaton Fire, has raised serious concerns about stability for students already grappling with trauma.

“The wildfire you are unleashing on our schools is unconscionable,” Jonathan Gardner, president of the United Teachers of Pasadena, told the Board during the meeting. “The vast majority of the cuts you have enacted to balance your budget have been in our schools, resulting in 125 teachers being told they don’t have a job next year.”

The layoffs include 65 individuals who received pink slips last week, in addition to temporary teachers whose contracts will not be renewed, according to Gardner.

The District’s financial challenges are severe, with an operating deficit of almost $40 million projected for the current year, following a $7.4 million deficit the previous year.

Several speakers highlighted the particularly difficult timing of these layoffs following the Eaton fire. Sergio Lopez, a math teacher at John Muir High School who lost his home in the fire, shared his distress about being laid off.

“My pain and frustration. I don’t think anybody here can understand it,” Lopez said. “All that I had left that I owned was in my classroom. And now that’s getting taken away from me.”

Francis Milness, a teacher at Octavia Butler Middle School and parent of a PUSD student who also lost her home in the fire, emphasized the importance of consistency for children with special needs. “Teaching students is about content, yes, but it’s also about building relationships that continue from year to year to year,” Milness said. “I hope and pray that those teachers will be there next year. Our kids need them.”

The District’s budget woes are compounded by declining enrollment, the expiration of one-time COVID relief funds, and a lower unduplicated pupil percentage, which has substantially impacted Local Control Funding Formula revenue. While insurance proceeds from the Eaton fire currently exceed related expenditures, District officials noted this is a temporary situation.

Consuelo Martinez, an English teacher and PUSD alumna facing layoff, emphasized the need for stability and the impact on specialized programs.

“As a … teacher, I empower underrepresented students to pursue higher education and challenge systemic oppression. And it’s heartbreaking to see our efforts dismantled when they’re most needed,” she said.

Parents echoed concerns about consistency.

Amy Gonzalez, a parent of a student at Washington STEM, said she believes “consistency means going back to school, from summer school, seeing the same teachers that makes students feel safe. I think it’s good for the community and it really plays an important role.”

Dr. Denise Robb, known for her PTA leadership at several schools and a professor of Political Science, criticized the District’s pattern of layoffs and rehiring.

“Over and over, we lay off teachers, we give them pink slips, then we hire them once we have more money and we know there’s more money, but it’s too late,” she said. “A lot of them have found other jobs and there’s been studies that show that teachers actually leave the profession altogether.”

The Board had previously approved budget reductions following recommendations from the Superintendent’s Budget Advisory Committee. Despite these proposed cuts, District officials have indicated that additional reductions will likely be necessary.