I am writing to share my concerns about the school board’s 4-1 vote to approve Sonoma’s 3rd charter school and the effects it will have on our school district as a whole. The first being the gutting of our SVUSD teaching staff, including 12 elementary union teacher layoffs, 4 of which will be at El Verano School. Almost one third of our classroom teachers. These layoffs, along with extensive cuts to classified staff are completely unnecessary and due to the board’s recent decisions.
Soon, we will see more combination classes, increased class sizes, fewer resources, and less funding. Not far down the road, the board will complain that our students’ test scores have dropped and say that public school is not working.
We will hear the familiar cry that our district is financially unstable, as the board has completely erased the economic reasoning for consolidating its elementary schools.
After closing Dunbar and Prestwood, due to limited reserves and declining enrollment, the board was willing to approve and fund a non-union charter school. As a direct result, the district’s plan is to fire dozens of established classified and certificated union members. Teachers, librarians, classroom aides, health techs, and custodians.
The decisions being made by our school board are fiscally irresponsible and the results feel intentional. I no longer see the board as supporters of public education or the children I serve. Children they were meant to serve when they became board members.
Alita Matthews
Flowery parent and El Verano teacher
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