Friday the 13th held true to its bad reputation as it marked the last business day before the annual March 15 statutory deadline for districts to issue lay-off notices to teachers for the coming school year.

Kings County schools were not exempt from the record 26,000 pink slips received by teachers and other school staff members on or before Friday, as estimated by the California Department of Education. Hundreds of local teachers and other school employees stood up in protest against the pink slips, wearing pink as part of a statewide effort titled "Pink Friday." The event's purpose was to raise awareness about the effects of state budget decisions on schools.

Teachers stood or marched outside several Hanford school campuses before school, some waving pink signs and some distributing fliers and stickers with information about the meaning behind their efforts.

April Silva, president of the Hanford Elementary Teachers' Association, said she helped to lead some of the local efforts on Pink Friday because the state budget cuts affect teachers as well as student learning. At John F. Kennedy Junior High School, where Silva teaches, almost all of the school's teachers manned the school parking lot before school, handing out information to parents.

"The parents didn't realize how much this was affecting schools," Silva said. "My hope is that parents and the community will see our solidarity. We truly believe that it is going to affect our students. Cutting back on teachers will increase class sizes."

Silva and her fellow teachers urged parents and passersby to get involved in forthcoming decisions and opportunities to vote to protect Proposition 98, which guarantees 40 percent of the state budget for education, as well as to raise revenue by creating a fair tax structure that fully funds education for all students and builds a stable economy for future generations.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell joined teachers, administrators, parents and students in acknowledging the sizable tally of teachers receiving pink slips or potential layoff notices in response to the state budget crisis. The recently enacted state budget included $11.6 billion in cuts to public education budget over the next 15 months.

"School districts up and down this state are sending out pink slips to tens of thousands of hard-working, dedicated teachers, administrators, and school staff," O'Connell said. "Cuts of this magnitude will have devastating effects in our classrooms across the state."

Last year, roughly 10,000 teachers received pink slips and an estimated 5,000 ultimately lost their jobs, according to the state Department of Education. Some of this year's jeopardized jobs could be saved by June if voters approve a spending package in a special election in May. Also, money that schools anticipate from the federal stimulus package could decrease the number of staff reductions.

"Before the current cuts were enacted, California already ranked 47th in the nation in per-pupil spending," O'Connell said. "These current cuts are sure to push us further down the scale. Our future depends on our ability to prepare the next generation for success in the hyper-competitive global economy. "

Bonnie Montgomery, a teacher at Kings River-Hardwick School, said 100 percent of the school's teachers wore a pink shirt or matching shirts that read, "budget cuts never heal."

Gary Rice, president of the teachers association for the Pioneer Union Elementary School District, said that "pretty close to" 100 percent of teachers and other school employees participated in Pink Friday. Rice said the teachers had support from district administration.

"We know this is a state issue," Rice said. "We think Pioneer handled the reduction in a very sensitive manner. I hope the efforts will just bring attention to the fact that were having to let teachers go. It's going to hurt our children in the long run."

(March 14, 2004)