GUHSD protests

By Miriam Raftery

March 9, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) –A student walkout is slated for 12 p.m. Monday at all Grossmont Union HIgh School District schools during the lunch hour, though the district has sent a memo warning students that leaving school is considered truancy. In addition, picketing by parents and teachers is planned before school starting around 7:45 a.m.

The students and parentwill be protesting the district board majority’s vote last week to fire 49  teachers, including all campus librarians, as ECM reported . A petition opposing the firings now has over 3,400 signatures.

“According to the department of education, a ‘large’ district such as the GUHSD has to have a teacher librarian” says Laura Preble, a retired 30-year Monte Vista High School librarian. “Library techs are not qualified to do what teacher librarians do; teacher librarians have to get a special credential to do what they do. The board, except for Chris Fite, seems more concerned with future students than current students," she told ECM. "High school libraries are not silent. They are the heart of the school where collaboration, study, research, reading, and clubs often meet. In cutting so many student-service positions, the board is really saying they do not care about our students, whose needs are great.” 

The Board has moved its Tuesday, March 11 meeting to Grossmont High School in the old gym at 6 p.m. with a rally before at 5 p.m. Speaker cards will be available starting at 3:30 p.m. The district has sent a memo stating that only 500 people will be allowed into the gym, with no saved seating allowed, nor standing, extra chairs, or sitting on the floor.  A link will be provided for overflow audience members to watch the meeting.  “The board will retreat again if the audience is rowdy,” the district has warned.

Despite the anticipated large crowd, the district will allow only 30 minutes of public comment on agenda items, with up to 3 minutes per speaker, meaning as few as 15 people may be allowed to speak.  Oddly, the meeting announcement on the district’s webpage lists no agenda items.

In an internal memo obtained by ECM, Acting Superintendent Sandra Huezo offers the district’s rationale behind the firing notifications issued, which she said were not fully explained at the last meeting due to disruptions.

Huezo explained that the state requires school districts to submit budgets by June 30, even though the state’s budget including education funding isn’t finalized until late June.  State law requires that district’s notify full-time employees earlier, by March 15 if their positions may be eliminated, with final notices required by May 15—before state budget funds are known.

Huezo says the GUHSD is projecting structural deficits in the future long-term, with enrollment declining and the Calif. Legislative Analyst projecting growing state budget deficits in coming years.  The district currently employees over 200 more full-time positions than a decade ago, she notes.

At the March 11 meeting, Interim Assistant Superintendent of Business Services  Pearl Lizuka will present a detailed breakdown of the district’s financial position and reserves, Huezo says, noting that reserves can be used for one-time emergencies, but should not be relied on to cover long-term personnel costs that aren’t sustainable.

A district review found that:

• More teachers are employed currently than are needed for available assignments.
• The district has 38 assistant principals; last year the board approved an additional assistant principal at each school, but a review found the district’s high schools now have more assistant principals than other similarly sized high schools in the county.
• The district is “reimagining” how libraries operate “to better serve our students” amid growing reliance on digital resources and budget constraints. Not all school libraries are staffed by credentialed teachers; the nine teacher librarians cost the district over $1.73 million, Huezo says, adding that if library media specialist positions are reduced in May, those teacher librarians will be offered teaching assignments in the next school year.
• The REACH Academy serves 22 students, with average daily attendance of 11 at a cost of over $2 million a year.  The review found these students can be served by alternative programs in the district.
• The Child Development Center slated to be eliminated was originally set up to help teen parents stay in school and graduate. However, As of January, of the 23 children enrolled, only 3 have teen parents. The others are children of GUHSD staffers allowed to fill the remaining spots. The Child Development Center is operating at a deficit of over $200,000 a year.
• 11 special education teachers will need to be reassigned due to emergency block grant funds expiring at the end of this school year.
• As for school psychologists, Huezo says the Special Education Program is exploring a more streamlined approach to delivering services to students to improve efficiency.

 The Board-approved certificated staff resolution can be found here, and the classified resolution is available here.

Huezo indicated that adjustments may be made before May 15 in response to evolving circumstances, such as any changes in enrollment, the Governor’s May budget revision, potential staff separations and other factors.

The Acting Superintendent insists that changes are being made in the “long-term best interests of our students and families,” adding,  “This is a very challenging time, and none of these decisions are being made lightly.”