SAN DIEGO -- With more than 1,500 layoffs on the horizon, nearly every school in the San Diego Unified School District will be affected next year. But one school expects more changes than most.
"There's a great school here," said teacher Sharon Fargason, "They're just going to wipe it completely of teachers."
Fargason is a 3rd grade teacher at Fay Elementary in the Colina Del Sol neighborhood on 52nd Street south of El Cajon Boulevard. She is one of 27 teachers that recieved final layoff notices in May. All but two of Fay's 29 teachers are being laid off.
"I do wish they would take some consideration of our school and not wipeout an entire school and 27 teachers," Fargason said.
Most of the teachers at Fay Elementary started at the same time right out of college, according to Fargason. Because they're now lowest on the union "totem pole," Fargason and her colleagues are the first to go.
"There is a bigger issue besides just our teachers," she said. "Obviously, there's tons of teachers in the district and people in the union are even disagreeing."
The San Diego Education Association did not return our call. But frustration at Fay isn't just with the union and the district.
"The whole situation with seniority, that's an education code thing. That's a California thing," said Principal Eileen Moreno.
One of the two teachers at Fay Elementary not affected by the layoffs is being transferred. The other is a 30-year veteran of the district who has been at Fay for one year.
"It's awkward for her," Moreno said.
At this point, teachers and administrators at Fay believe the only reprieve would come from discussions between the union and the school district. Moreno, for one, said those teachers that do stay should be prepared for larger class sizes.
"Teachers who are on the fence over whether to consider concessions need to think about this," Moreno said. "When they come to my school, or any school for that matter, and they have more kids in the class, I will have the same expectation for them. There will be no passes."
