The Sacramento City School District held a board meeting on 10-15-09 at Kennedy high school in which many issues that the school district is facing for the year were discussed in a public forum.

The big issue at the board meeting revolved around the hours being to cut to instructional aides who work with special needs children. The aide’s hours are being cut from 6 hours to 5 hours. Some parents were extremely upset about the cuts. One parent Rebekah Norris whose daughter has been going to school for almost 14 years expressed her frustration over the cuts. Ms. Norris said “the budget cuts have put her special needs daughter safety at risk.”Her concerns were of such things as bathroom duties and in the classroom. Ms. Norris shared a story in which her daughter got lost looking for the bathroom and she said “it wouldn’t have happened if someone was there to help her daughter.” The instructional aides were upset because the special needs kids weren’t going to be getting enough help with the cuts to the hours. One instructional aide Emily Barajas said “271 instructional aides had their hours lost hours.” The hours were being cut from 6 to 5 hours. Ms. Barajas said “that her and the other instructional aides feel underappreciated and want their hours restored.”

Another issue that was brought up at the board meeting was H1N1 virus and the precautions that are being taken. Superintendent and board secretary Jonathan Raymond said “the district has implemented a hand washing policy to combat the H1N1 virus.” There had only been a minimal amount of cases of H1N1 cases so far this school year but they were prepared for more cases to come as we move farther along into the winter and flu season.

The census count which will occur early next year was brought up by the board during the meeting. The board members all emphasized the importance that everyone be counted for the census next year. If California gets an accurate count next year not only will the schools get more money but California will be able to keep its congressional seat. If California doesn’t have an accurate count next year we will lose our congressional seat for the first time in over 100 years. It has never happened to California yet either. Board Member Diana Rodriquez said “Being counted in the census is everybody’s constitional right. The census will go out in March and will be counted on August 1, 2010.

The meeting itself concluded with the approval of the minutes and was the closed. The school district faces many issues this from the H1N1 to budget cuts that have lead to the hours of instructional aide’s hours being cut. They have many obstacles ahead of them including tuff decisions such as the budget but these things hopefully will improve in the near future,