‘How is that fair?’ San Diego Unified OKs more than 200 cuts to non-teaching jobs, expects dozens of layoffs

To a chorus of boos, San Diego Unified School District’s board of trustees voted unanimously Tuesday to cut more than 200 classified jobs, in a move expected to lead to layoffs for about 70 people.

The trustees voted unanimously for the cuts, which drew an outcry from school support staff and teachers alike.

Of the 221 positions being cut — which include paraeducators, assistants, clerks, custodians, special-education staff, food service staff and more — 88 are already vacant, the district said. It said another 86 classified jobs would be added.

“I’m voting for this because I believe that we can work together to bring folks already in the system into some of these 86 positions,” said Trustee Sharon Whitehurst-Payne, a former district educator who once had her own job cut before later being called back.

Some staffers whose jobs are cut could be reassigned, with priority given based on seniority; Superintendent Fabiola Bagula expected that to be the case for about half.

Others could leave before the end of the school year.

“We do anticipate that the number of employees who receive a final layoff notice will shrink between now and May,” Bagula said.

But for about 70 people, “there is not a vacancy for them to bump into, or they’re one of the least senior in their given classification,” said Kristine Morshead, the district’s senior executive director of human resources.

Those workers would be laid off in May, barring any ...