LA School Board To Tackle Budget Cuts, Child Safety Measures In Meeting Tuesday
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A large turnout and protestors are expected Tuesday afternoon at the Los Angeles School Board meeting where members are expected to consider budget cuts as well as measures that will help protect children in the wake of the district's sex scandal.
The regular board meeting is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. where members will consider "worse case" budget cuts.
The Los Angeles Unified School District is facing a $390 million deficit for 2012-2013 school year. Officials say programs such as adult and early childhood education and elementary school art programs are all in danger of being cut in addition to the district issuing up to 12,000 layoff notices to teachers, staff and administrators.
The board will consider a $298 parcel tax to homeowners for five years in the wake of the deficit.
Superintendent John Deasy says the district's overall budget deficit was $557 million in mid-February but has dropped to $390 million, thanks to higher-than-expected state lottery revenue.
"I wouldn't say this is good news about the budget. We are talking about years of dis-investment in California to public schools. We should be adding numbers, not cutting in terms of jobs," Deasy said.
Three board members will also ask their colleagues to support two measures that will change district policy in order to protect children from sexual predators.
Protecting Children in the Classroom aims to streamline the dismissal process of employees by specifically targeting certificated those who are engaged in acts of moral turpitude against children.
Currently, dismissing a teacher can take as long as seven years depending on the number of appeals.
Under the state code, the district is required to send a teacher written notice that he or she has been charged with an act worthy of termination, and the board has to wait at least 45 or 90 days, depending on the allegations, before acting.
Improving Transparency, Process and Procedures for Student Safety will make it easier to identify, remove and prosecute employees who sexually or physically abuse children. It also aims to create a uniform procedure for notifying parents and guardians about such cases.
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