SCUSD Board of Education Response to Statement by David W. Gordon, Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools

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“The SCUSD Board of Education agrees with the sentiments of the County Superintendent and calls for school to resume on Monday while we continue to work diligently and collaboratively to resolve our differences. We continue to be ready and willing to negotiate with our labor partners so we can move forward to address other pressing student needs.”

STATEMENT BY DAVID W. GORDON SACRAMENTO COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

April 1, 2022

Enough is enough – SCUSD students have now been out of school for 8 days. Our children and their families are losing learning time; time with supportive teachers, coaches, and other adults we know make a critical difference in their lives.  On top of this, for each day our students are not in school the district is losing money. 

It’s past time for our adults – district leaders and union leaders – to reopen schools and help our young people get back to normal.

The district leaders are fiscal stewards who must follow the law and ensure the district remains fiscally solvent, but also that it retains the financial ability to provide programs to lift up our neediest students and afford them maximum opportunity.

In fact, as part of the regular reviews my staff performed of the district’s financial reports over the last few months, we have repeatedly warned that the current improvement in the district’s fiscal position is likely to be temporary. Even with no increases in employee compensation, significant cost growth and revenue losses resulting from enrollment declines will eventually threaten the district’s fiscal solvency.

Everyone in this community should understand that the Board of Education and District leaders have been unfairly attacked over and over for doing exactly what they should be doing – standing up for fiscal responsibility and the ability to provide better services to its clients – our children.

It’s long past time for the parties to do as all 12 of our other Sacramento districts have managed to do – keep the disputes at the bargaining table and collaboratively work out their differences while children come back to school.