UTLA & SEIU 99 HIT THE STREETS TO STOP THE CARVALHO CUTS

Thousands of UTLA members, SEIU 99 members, parents, and students brought the budget fight to LAUSD’s doorstep at the May 6th board meeting to demand that the district use the projected $6.3 billion in reserves to restore school-site budgets and protect students from staffing and program cuts.

Critical positions such as special education assistants, PSAs, PSWs, school psychologists, library aides, IT and tech support staff, art and music teachers, custodians, and campus aides are all at risk due to LAUSD underfunding sites.

Carvalho is attempting to centralize district funding and take decision-making away from school sites, trying to cover his power grab with claims of fiscal necessity.

“Year after year, the district claims that it will be in dire financial straits if they fully fund the schools LA deserves, yet the reserve keeps going up,” UTLA President Cecily Myart-Cruz said. “The district’s projected $6.3 billion reserve is three times the reserve in 2019. We refuse to stand by as our schools lose critical staff and resources, and we refuse to let the district prioritize anything above our students’ well-being and success.”