The student view of budget crisis from Daniel Pearl High School: LAYOFF NOTICES THREATEN POSITIONS OF CRUCIAL STAFF MEMBERS + BUDGET CRISIS INTERFERES WITH STUDENTS’ ELECTIVE CHOICES

Layoff notices threaten positions of crucial staff members	Budget crisis interferes with students' elective choices
By Amanda Cordoba and Brittany Martin    | The Pearl Post-  Daniel Pearl Magnet High School Van Nuys, CA  from my hsj.com | http://bit.ly/endtOd	By Patrick Avognon    |   The Pearl Post - Daniel Pearl Magnet High School Van Nuys, CA from my hsj.com | http://bit.ly/ekI1d7
Friday, April 8, 2011 - Music teacher Jackie Gorski has built an impressive music program here at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School (DPMHS). However, now the future of choir and guitar students is up in the air since she was among the five DPMHS staff members who received pink slips. “I feel very sad and helpless, but I think the Daniel Pearl administration will do everything to extend the music program,” Gorski said. Along with the music program, positions such as magnet coordinator and counselor are also in jeopardy. These positions, held by Laverne Potter and Deborah Weiner, respectively, will not be replaced next year. This is due to the fact that not only are these staff members being laid off, but their positions are being entirely cut by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). “If Ms. Weiner left, who would be doing all our grades and schedules?” said junior Conrad Fuchs. Jet Manalastas’ position of senior office technician has also been cut. This leaves a lot of the responsibility on the few administrators that will be left. “I guess right now, they’re expecting me to do it all. Ms. Diane and I will have to run the school and do discipline, counseling and security. It leaves us with some real challenges,” said Principal Janet Kiddoo. Physical education teacher Raeanna McMannis has also received notice that she may lose her job at the beginning of the next school year. If this happens, she will be replaced with someone that has more experience teaching. “Obviously, I only want Mrs. Gorski and Mrs. McMannis and no one else,” said Kiddoo when referring to her disapproval toward teacher replacements. Due to the amount of money the district has lost because of the budget crisis in the state, almost 7,000 LAUSD teachers, administrators and other school workers were given pink slips in early March. To break it down further, 2,252 teachers have been given pink slips along with 574 counselors, librarians, nurses, psychologists and 2,370 administrators. Superintendent Ramon Cortines, who issued the layoff notices, hopes to negotiate with employee unions to eventually reduce the number of people who will be laid off . “I don’t want to approve these cuts, but if we don’t, the country or the state could take us over, creating absolute chaos for our children,” said LAUSD board member Richard Vladovic in a Daily News article called “LAUSD approves pink slip notices,” published on March 2. Although the district has advised almost 7,000 staff members from schools across the district about their possible layoff, it is not guaranteed that they will all lose their jobs. According to the Daily News article, because of a deficit of around $870 million last year, the district sent out over 8,400 pink slip notices but ended up only laying off about 2,000 employees because of help received from the federal stimulus money. However, this year, even though the deficit is smaller, estimated to be around $640 million, there is no stimulus money to come save the day or the jobs of so many school employees. The district is looking into different options to help raise money. One of the solutions is putting a measure on the June ballot to extend certain property taxes by $100 per parcel. This, however, would only raise about $92.5 million a year for four years and Gov. Jerry Brown is having some trouble getting it approved. The district is also looking for permission to cut teachers’ salaries by 10 percent, having more furlough days and cutting the school year short. “This is the biggest crisis I’ve seen in education funding in the 31 years I’ve been with the district,” Kiddoo said.	Friday, April 8, 2011 -Daniel Pearl Magnet High School (DPMHS) offers a very limited amount of electives. Along with its main focus on journalism, DPMHS offers seven other electives: Spanish, filmmaking, media, choir, guitar, yearbook and computer. The main reason there is such a shortage of electives is the school’s budget and small enrollment. Since DPMHS recently moved to a new campus, the majority of the school’s funds are supporting the school. The school is constantly holding fund raisers and asking for donations, such as during “Love Your School Month.” Some standard electives offered at most high schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), but not at DPMHS, are theater/drama, art, orchestra and band. As you can see, DPMHS is lacking some of the most essential electives. I’ve never heard of a high school without a theater or drawing class. I’m aware that LAUSD’s budget isn’t  in as great of a shape as it should be, but they shouldn’t take money away from funding electives. Instead, they should take away from “necessary” classes required for graduation. Classes like Spanish should be the first to go. When did it become a requirement for every student to need two years of a language to graduate? Yes, it is essential if a student is applying to a university, but not everyone has the desire to attend a four- year institution. Another course that wastes LAUSD’s funding is physical education. If a student was passionate about sports, they would try out for a team. Instead of allowing them to do that, LAUSD is forcing the students that don’t play sports to participate in P.E. classes. If  students had more electives,  it would make their high school career more memorable. “I really wish there [were] more electives because isn’t the whole point of high school to try out everything so that you can find out what you are passionate about?” said freshman Brandon Alonso. The lack of electives does in fact hold back many students from reaching their full potential. They are key in a student’s high school career. Researchers in Austin, Texas, have found that teens without artistic extracurricular activities get into more trouble than students who have them. In addition, teens with art electives  in schools are less likely to be high school dropouts, tend to receive better grades and are less likely to experiment with drugs and alcohol. Electives should be the main focus of the school even though we are a journalism and communications magnet. Maybe, as a school, we can help fund these programs, which will decrease the amount LAUSD will have to contribute to our school. I think that students will be more well-rounded in school if our educational facility offered us the opportunity to participate in electives they enjoy. Perhaps, in the future, when DPMHS is standing on its own feet, we will see a growth in the arts department.