Elk Grove Teachers Hand Out Pink Slips To Bring Budget Awareness

ELK GROVE (CBS13) - Teachers facing layoffs are urging parents to take action to save local schools and jobs from the chopping block.

Teachers from dozens of Elk Grove schools are taking a stand against state-wide budget cuts.

The teachers held a demonstration this morning aimed at getting the attention of parents and lawmakers.  The teachers handed out pink slips of their own giving parents a crash course on just how dire the budget situation is for Elk Grove schools.

Without tax extensions in the state budget, the district will lose out on $40 million.  School administrators paint a grim picture of the consequences: more than 1,000 layoff notices are sent out.  More than 600, or 20% of the district's teachers, could lose their jobs.

"I'm a teacher-librarian and they're cutting our staff in half," said Trudy Summers. "Yesterday, I had students coming in saying 'Mrs. Summers, you're going to be gone.  We're so sad.  We can't lose you'."

The shortfall would also mean reduced services across the board, from transportation to counseling.  The Elk Grove district has already cut $100 million out of its budget the last three years.  Teachers warn class sizes could swell to the largest in a decade.

Without the tax extensions, the layoffs would take effect in the fall.  It could be a similar story for school districts across the state.