Mr. Robert Dorchak teaches a class on April 5. Photo by Kavya Pathak

It’s every teacher’s worst nightmare. Seeing the envelope in the mail that tells them they may not have a job next year. And as California budget negotiations stretch on for weeks and weeks, thousands of teachers across that state endure the agonizing wait, wondering if they will receive that final notice telling them they must search for another job. This district has not been immune to California’s budget woes, and on March 15,  staff members throughout this district received the dreaded pink slip.

“(The notices sent out in March) just tell you that you may not come back next year,” Mr. Robert Dorchak, who received a pink slip, said. “A more committed notice gets sent out in May.”

After these later notices are sent out, many district employees will find themselves jobless.

“Five teachers from (this school) received pink slips,” Mrs. Julie Poe said.

For the teachers going through this ordeal, the wait can be agonizing, as can the decision to continue to wait or begin applying for other jobs.

“I am not looking for another job just yet,” Dorchak said. “I’m going to see how things play out.”

The prospect of losing a staff member has serious repercussions for the departments that are losing teachers. The loss of a valued teacher, coupled with the increased workload for the teachers who remain, can be saddening and stressful.

“We feel helpless at this point,” science department chairperson Mrs. Penny Shelton said. “We don’t really know what is going to happen (but) given what is happening in the state, the outlook is not looking good.”

Teachers have been taking on more classes to compensate for the reduction in staff members, but they can only do so much.

“We may have to remove certain classes,” Shelton said, “and we shouldn’t have to do that.”

Other staff members, including counselors, will have to take on more students next year.

“The counselor caseload (will increase from) approximately 400 students last year to over 700 students next year at the high school level.” Poe said.

Though teachers and staff here have received pink slips in years previous, including last year, circumstances are different this year.

“Last year, the (teacher’s) union negotiated to prevent teachers (who received pink slips) from being let go,” Shelton said. “This year, they are deciding to wait and see (until the budget is resolved).”

Another factor leading to more uncertainty for teachers this year is the expiration of certain taxes. These taxes, which ensure schools have enough money to pay staff, expire this year, and though Governor Jerry Brown is pushing to extend them, there is still debate in the legislature about the issue. Without these taxes, this district loses $300 per student, and until the state decides one way or another, the outlook for teachers with pink slips remains grim.

As the California budget and the livelihoods of thousands of staff members hang in the balance, these teachers continue to wait, hoping their job will be spared in the carnage of the California budget cuts.

By KAVYA PATHAK