Pink Slips at MTHS
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April 21, 2010 • Ozwaldo Guzman
Filed under News, Top Stories, Uncategorized
Pink Slip -the American practice, by a personnel department, of including a discharge notice in an employee’s pay envelope to notify the worker of his or her termination of employment or layoff.
It is saddening that our great teachers, counselors, and librarians will be laid off. With this, our resources will be depleted, and our school’s programs like ROP courses, after school sports, and our summer school will be gone. Recently I interviewed many staff members to get their take on this dilemma as well as a student to see how she felt about these drastic cuts. Our principal, Derk Garcia pleasantly agreed to my interview. How do you feel about the pink slip and budget cuts in general? “It’s depressing and it goes against every thing we say we value as a society to be provided for children.” The worse part of it as he states is that “Monterey Trail has a lot of younger staff member so we have more than most high schools in other districts, which is concerning for two reasons 1) I know the personal stories of the teachers, and [how the cuts] affect them 2) we have great teachers here at MTHS, and I am worried how the student would be impacted without great teachers, counselors, and librarians.” In our insightful interview we went over a few scenarios that would more than likely play out. As of now there is a potential of only having two counselors, how would that work out? “Actually there is a potential of having NO counselors at all,” Principal Garcia states sullenly. Surprised, as I am sure everyone would be to hear that, again I asked, how would that work out with all of students MTHS currently has enrolled? “If we only had two, we would split into priority, where seniors and juniors would be at the top, since they are the ones closer to graduating.” Principal Garcia had these final words to say “I would like the students at MTHS to understand that we all have the same goal and that is to maintain our current staff.” I, personally, would like our peers to understand that Mr. Garcia or any principal for that matter is not the one who chooses which teacher, counselor, or after school activity stays or goes; it is our state legislators who decide what department should be priorities.
As we can see, many of our resources will be limited or gone completely. How can we be told that we are the future doctors, lawyers, or scientist of tomorrow, when we won’t be able to get there with the help we need? “Reach for the stars”, will no longer have the same meaning it use to. It is important that not only the present, but the future students at school have the choice to take advantage of the sources our high schools provide. I got a chance to speak to Ms. Tran, an English teacher, working her seventh year at MTHS. What was your reaction when you received your pink slip? “I was not surprised; I had a sense of humor for it.” Ms. Tran was one of thirty teachers to open up the school on its first day; it doesn’t make her happy to receive one, but she’s not really sure what to do about it. In addition, I got to talk to Mr. Jacobson, one of the counselors at MTHS. How do you feel about the pink slip and budget cuts our state legislators are making? “It’s a tragedy in the making for the entire district; we are already one of the states spending less money on each student, while we have one of the biggest economies. I then asked Ms. Jacobson what he would like students to know on getting involved and spreading the word “The more awareness there is the more work that can be done. Students and parents should write letters not just too local officials, but to our state legislator as well.” As with many others planning for their future, Ms. Tran plans to take some time off and do some community service and Mr. Jacobson plans to get a special education teaching credential.
As students we need to take a stand; our MTHS Budget Funeral was a great success, but we can do so much more! We ARE the politicians of our own lives and of our futures, we can make many things happen, we influence people on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, whichever it maybe, and we don’t even know it. The opportunity to raise our voices has come again, let’s take that chance and go all out.
What YOU can do:
- Register to Vote on this year’s 2010 census
- Vote at the polls on important issues
- Send a letter to your legislator (attached to this page is a downloadable sample letter and how to find information for your legislators)
- Get Involved with your school
- Volunteer in cut areas to reduce the impact these cuts will have on students
- Organize a fundraiser, or donate money, supplies and/or time to help save programs
- Organize a rally to bring more public attention to stop the cuts to education
- Circulate a petition to stop budget cuts, collect signatures from registered voters, and submit it to your legislators. For more information, go to www.supportcakids.org
- SPREAD THE WORD!
Remember it only takes one person to make a difference; will the next leader be you?
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