Tideline Online

In a faculty meeting on March 8, Executive Director Amy Held announced that she would not return to Pali for the 2010-2011 school year. In an e-mail, Held said that she is leaving to join another charter school. Neither the reasons behind her decision, nor which school she will transfer to, were disclosed. Held has been the Executive Director of Pali since 2005.

In the same meeting, teachers were informed about the possibility of 20 layoffs across all departments. Last year, LAUSD fired 2,100 teachers in response to the financial crisis. This year, an estimated 1,000 more teachers will be let go. This would mark the first time Pali would have to layoff teachers to counter recent budget cuts. 

Teachers all across California protested $2 billion in budget cuts to education today in an organized statewide protest. Some universities also had walk outs.

In two years the "governor and state Legislature have cut the budget for public education by $18 billion," according to the flyer provided by UTLA. The flyer also said, "Governor Schwarzenegger released his January state budget proposal with another $2 billion in cuts, two days after promising he would protect public education from further harm! Who does he think he is fooling?"

Teachers at Pali and at other schools across the state picketed to create an awareness for the issue and to encourage the voters of California to contact their local school board and state legislators. Larger rallies will be held later today in downtown Los Angeles, UCLA, CSUN and Long Beach.