2,000 Teachers Rally Against “the pink slip”

Demonstrators Ask School Board to Rescind 900+ Pink Slips

SAN DIEGO, CA. Hundreds of school teachers rallied this afternoon in front of the Ed Center demanding that the School Board rescind the issuance of over 900 pink slips sent out to teachers district wide. Estimates from 1200 up to 2,000 – mainly teachers – gathered at the Normal Street headquarters of the San Diego Unified School District – while the School Board held its regular meeting. Most of the demonstrators wore black as symbolic of the death knell to teachers’ careers and the end to education of district students. The rally, organized by the San Diego Education Association – the teachers’ union, and other labor organizations, was spirited and lively.

Speakers decried the decision of the School Board to balance the district’s budget cuts on the teachers, and publicly calling for the Board to rescind its decision, citing two other large school districts – similar in size to San Diego’s — within the state that did not lay off teachers, as well as other districts within the County that also have not sent out pink slips to teachers. Only Board member Gloria Jackson had voted against the issuance of the pink slips.

When one of the speakers called out for those who had received pink slips to raise their hands, literally hundreds of hands went up.

Meanwhile, with the teachers outside, students from several high school campuses and their parents were attending the School Board meeting to oppose the bringing of Jr ROTC and weapons to their schools. Students were from Mission Bay, Lincoln, and Hoover High Schools. Their large banner stated: “Teach Peace Not Violence.”

They and dozens of teachers supporters hugged the sidewalk along Normal Street with their signs, receiving supportive honks. A dozen police officers were on hand in case the teachers got out of hand. (Photos to follow.)