The new math and the changing numbers: THE CSEA SETTLEMENT, CLERKS AND LIBRARIANS

by smf for 4LAKidsNews

Sept 29, 2011 – Last Tuesday – while John Deasy and Monica Garcia  were charming the Dallas Morning News Editorial Board, the LA Times reported:

Under mounting public pressure and amid worry about unmanageable campuses, Los Angeles Unified School District officials and a union representing non-teaching employees announced a tentative agreement Monday that is expected to restore close to 400 financial managers, clerical staff and library aides.

I’m not going to get into it with about whether elementary school librarians are ‘non-teaching employees’ – that’s a bit of educratic hogwash the Times and LAUSD leadership  have ingested along with  the Bill Gates/Eli Broad Kool-Aid.

From the US Dept of Ed: What is the Improving Literacy through School Libraries Program?  Title I, Part B, Subpart 4 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended. The purpose of this program is to improve student literacy skills and academic achievement by providing increased access to up-to-date library materials, a well-equipped, technologically advanced school library media center, and well-trained, professionally certified school library media specialists. …no matter what you call them,  they are well-trained, professionally certified school library media specialists.

Tuesday the Daily News also reported LAUSD OKs rehiring hundreds of clerks, aides

Los Angeles Unified agreed Monday to rehire hundreds of office clerks and library aides under a tentative agreement reached with the union representing support staff, district officials announced.

Under the tentative agreement with the California School Employees Association, the district would allocate $8 million to fund the rehiring of support staff, with the district selecting which positions would be restored.

Los Angeles Unified had come under fire from parents and community members for laying off more than 1,100 workers last week in a cost-cutting move. The laid-off workers include 450 office clerks and technicians and 230 library aides.

 

ON THE SAME DAY The Galatzan Gazette, the newsletter of Boardmember Tamar Galatzan  reported:

District and Union Hammer Out Deal to Bring Jobs Back to Schools

Sept 27, 2010 - Some Los Angeles Unified (LAUSD) library aides, office clerks and financial managers will return to the job after their union, The California School Employees Association (CSEA), and the District reached a tentative agreement Monday afternoon.

The agreement, if approved, would restore hundreds of jobs in exchange for at least 4 unpaid furlough days. The number of furlough days could increase if state revenue does not meet forecasts.

Tamar Galatzan hailed the news saying, “I’m delighted that beloved employees of this District can begin returning to schools and getting back to work serving our students and families.”

Parents and activists had mobilized in recent days in an effort to stave off cuts and protect the employees that mean so much to their schools. While Board Offices were flooded with calls and emails, the District’s negotiating team and CSEA leadership were bunkered down, hammering out a deal.

If approved by CSEA members the agreement will become effective and employees could start returning to schools within weeks.

The total number of jobs saved in Board District 3 is not yet available but it is expected that over 400 positions will be restored District-wide.

Update on Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 8:35AM by Gazette Staff Originally, the Gazette reported the number of restored positions would be over 400, however that figure was incorrect and the number has been corrected to approximately 178.

So, out of the ‘more than 1,100 workers’ laid off Friday …‘approximately 178’ will be brought back?

• THERE IS A SUBSTANCIAL DIFFERENCE between “over 400” (or the LA Times’ “close to 400”) and “approximately 178”. 
• “Approximately 178’ isn’t even  the Daily News’ or the Gazettes’ “hundreds of jobs”.  This fails both the Math and the English part of the test: One needs at least two hundred to achieve “hundreds”.

And then there’s the  bait and-switch/wishy-washyness of  the following, also from The Times.

Much of the recent parent anger over the cuts has been directed at the closing of elementary school libraries. Some of those positions will be restored, but Deasy said other priorities may take precedence, such as middle school financial managers and clerical staff needed to keep schools operating.

Gentle readers, watch carefully – because elementary school librarians appear about to be thrown under the proverbial bus!