Alpine Teachers and students speak out 

By Cassie Jungers
The Alpine Sun


     At the April 14 Alpine board meeting teachers, students and supporters gathered to fight for the protection of teachers and staff who received pink slips. The speakers focused on Corrine Lewis of Alpine Elementary and everything she loss when receiving the pink slip.
     Speakers supported Lewis in Lewis’ love of children in the job, not the money, her amount of experience and performance and her work hours being taken from full time to three-quarter time. Both women were sympathetic towards Lewis as she lost her hours and benefits and they fought for her rehiring.
    Board member, Mark Price cleared up confusion that may have been in the audience. Board member have no say in who gets cut. During the selection process they see charts of work experience, but no names. Price is in support of finding a way to provide for Lewis  and possibly taking back her cuts. He requested contracting the CSA to clear up their question with Lewis’ job.
     The cuts would lead to the 28:1 classroom size. With this, classrooms, like at Boulder Oaks, will attract more germs and lead to more illnesses. Currently, the classrooms are being deep cleaned once a year, while the office area is cleaned four times a year. Though an issue with the cleaning being decreased due to pink slips, the board ensured that the custodial staff isn’t being lowered enough to affect health issues anymore than what is already happening.
Along with colleges and City of San Diego having staff cuts, these cuts are necessary because the District needed to cut two million dollars. However, the board only has control over 12 percent of these. The other 80 to 85 percent is controlled by unions. The cuts were made in order to feed the necessary budget. This year was more difficult than last because the lawsuit(?I don‘t know what lawsuit they were talking about.) money has already been spent on various projects.
     A student board member brought up the point that the governor attempted to make all the cuts based of performance in the work room, rather than superiority; however, this action was denied by the unions.
With the most reason cut, seven Teachers of the Year were laid off. Actions like this harm the kids as well as the school because these teachers are replaced with primary teachers who earn less pay, say concerned Alpine citizens.
Boulder Oaks currently has a vacancy in their health aid services. In Lewis’ defense, it was requested that she take the second position in order to maintain benefits and still keep her job working with students. These benefits that the community is fighting for are not only protecting the health of Lewis and her family, but also allows her two sons to progress onto higher education.SAN DIEGO —

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