Pink slips are putting a damper on the Spring sun

Graphic of Pink Slips (Lauren Chavez / The Puma Prensa)

By: Lauren Chavez and Sophia Nagra, Staff Writers

If you’ve heard the two ominous words “pink slip” around campus in the wake of months of district disorganization and chaos, you’re not alone. These pink slips of paper have been delivered to countless teachers and members of administration around campus, notifying them about the termination of their employment.

There are heavy question marks surrounding most of these pink slips, as teachers won’t know for sure if they are not returning next year until May. They can’t be expected to wait around and see what the outcome is, of course, so many are looking for jobs elsewhere, which will result in an even lower percentage of returning administration and teachers next year.

Most of the administration office, including all of our counselors and both assistant principals, have either already been notified of their layoffs or are sitting in a cloud of uncertainty and worry. Of course, all of these cuts have had detrimental effects on students and other staff as well. Counselors are with students from their freshman to senior years, and help make pivotal decisions regarding courses and college acceptances. They form connections and have vital knowledge of their children’s wants and needs, and knocking this delicate balance off center at such an important time in student’s lives will prove to be disastrous.

There also seems to be no rhyme or reason for the layoffs, as many receiving the dreaded pink slip have been working at or have been affiliated with Maria Carrillo High School for years. Kyla Bradylong, for example, has been a teacher at Carrillo for over ten years, and was just recently promoted to assistant principal. Now, she will be relocated to Montgomery High School for the next school year and will no longer be present at MCHS. 

The reason for these layoffs all comes down to the budget of the district, as the consolidations and closures weren't enough to close the gap in money. Therefore, administrators must be relocated and laid off. There are many questions that stem from this, as there are no confirmed administrators to be back on campus next year. This presents a multitude of problems, and as of right now, only time will tell what will happen.