Stockton Teachers Union Protests About Safety Concerns
STOCKTON (CBS13) -- Stockton teachers are fed up over what they call the hidden cost of cuts in schools, and they say safety is now in question.
Shouting their chants and carrying signs, members of the teachers union protested Tuesday. They're enraged over budget cuts decimating the number of campus security guards, and they've chosen a good time to be heard -- right after two high-profile incidents.
An after-school fight erupted in gunfire just a block from Edison High School's campus in the heart of Stockton at a school where staff members claim they've lost half of their eight security guards.
"And look at where we're located. I mean we have 76 different establishments that sell alcohol around our school," said Claudia Moreno, union president.
Then just a day ago, a parent attacked the principal of Fillmore Elementary, reportedly punching the principal twice during an argument over the T-shirt worn by the woman's son.
The district admits to making some tough decisions in paring down budgets. But teachers union members claim the money that is there isn't being spent where it needs to be.
"They've hired a budget consultant for an astronomical amount of money and they need to re-evaluate that.," Melody Honeychurch said. "They need to make safety a priority so our kids are safe."
