FRESNO (KMJ) — The Fresno Teacher’s Association is accusing Fresno Unified School District of having the wrong priorities when it comes to teaching children.
The FTA have three requests, which they think are the top priorities for the School District’s available funds:
1) Cap classroom sizes, so students get more individual attention
2) Hire more full-time social workers, psychologists, and nurses
3) Create safer schools, by hiring more campus safety assistants.
But they’re declaring that Fresno Unified School District are not channeling the money they have available in the right direction.
“Fresno Unified says ‘well we’re working towards these efforts’, but it’s very minimal”, reveals Sunnyside High School teacher Jon Bath. “If you just talk to the people in the community you’ll know that these things aren’t happening in earnest”. Bath and claims that the School District exercised their right at Wednesday night’s board meeting to not even comment on the priorities.
“As this was not an official item before the board. And so this is why this group is asking for this discussion to be placed as an official item so the board has to at least entertain the idea. But as in the past, Mister Hanson [Fresno Unified’s Superintendent Michael Hanson] has a four to three board majority and if it’s not something he likes he’s not going to allow it to be on the agenda”.
The Fresno Teachers Association says the district received $123 million from the Local Control Funding Formula, and that should be used to help the children.
“Fresno Unified has received an enormous amount of new funding, they could be making big progress”, continues Bath. “But instead they’re moving forward with their own spending priorities”.
In a statement Fresno Unified School District say they “continue to lead neighboring districts with the lowest classroom sizes and more healthcare and safety support for students. The steady increase in our graduation rate over the last 10 years, which now stands at nearly 82%, is a true testament to the great things that are happening in our district”.
Hear the report from KMJ’s Dominic McAndrew as it aired:
