Teachers Worry About Lack Of Job Security

INDIO – Massive education budget cuts are causing stress and worry for teachers here in the valley. Earlier this week, Desert Sands Unified School District’s board voted to hand out 211 lay off notices,155 will go to teachers. The notices will go out by March 15th and teachers are now on edge.

“At night I go to bed thinking if I’m going to be a teacher in the next few months,” says Leticia Hernandez, kindergarten teacher at James Madison Elementary School.

This is a fear on many teachers’ minds.

“It’s very scary, very scary,” says Jennifer Costello, fifth grade teacher at James Madison Elementary School.

“Like most people, I have a family and bills. An income is an income, it will effect the entire family if I loose it,” says Hernandez.

Loosing an income, could be the reality for dozens of valley educators; and those with least seniority are at most risk.

Jennifer Costello is in her 20th year of teaching, but she could be on the chopping block because she’s only been with DSUSD for 5 years.

“That’s exactly why I’m nervous,” says Costello.

Last year the district handed out more than 100 pink slips. Dozens were later retracted, and the teachers were able to keep their jobs. Hernandez says this back and forth causes a lot of uncertainty.

“There’s no stability, you don’t know what’s ahead,” says Hernandez.

District leaders say the layoff notices are not ‘scare tactics’. This is something they have to do in order to balance the budget. Although teachers don’t like it, most understand the District’s decision.

“It’s no one’s fault,” says Hernandez. “It’s something we all have to go through.”

The layoffs will effect everyone in the long run. With fewer teachers, class sizes will increase and for those who do get to keep their job, it will be a lot more work.

“It’s a bad situation all around,” says Costello.

Layoff notices will go out by March 15th, in the meantime teachers wait, wonder and hope.

“We are crossing our fingers and saying our prayers,” says Costello.

DSUSD leaders hope to retract as many of the notices as possible. If the budget crisis improves or if more employees take early retirement, fewer will be laid off.