Furious parents protest against California school district amid plans to cut $10M funding

Furious parents are pushing back against Los Angeles Unified District as they try to stop the district from slashing millions of dollars in funding for dozens of charter schools.It comes amid warnings the cuts could leave classrooms understaffed and put young students’ safety at risk.Parents, teachers and students from 42 LAUSD-affiliated charter schools organized demonstrations across Los Angeles on Tuesday, Nov.10, to oppose the elimination of a supplemental funding grant that supporters say pays for essential staff, student services and school programs.The district plans to eliminate approximately $100 million in additional funding for the 42 schools, which serve nearly 25,000 students.

The annual allocation has been described by organizers as roughly $10 million, though the precise funding figure remains unclear.The protests began with morning rallies at 10 charter school campuses at 7:30 a.m.Parents and school communities are scheduled to gather outside LAUSD headquarters in downtown Los Angeles at 2:30 p.m., followed by public comment before the Board of Education at 3:30 p.m.At Riverside Drive Charter Elementary in Studio City, parents estimate the school could lose nearly $500,000 and at least 12 staff positions as a result of the proposed cuts.Across the 42 affected schools, the funding reduction is equivalent to approximately 112 full-time positions.

Parents say the consequences could extend well beyond fewer teachers and classroom resources, raising concerns about whether schools will have enough adults to supervise children during recess and respond to emergencies.“So who’s going to watch our kids at recess if there’s an emergency drill, whether it’s a fire drill, an earthquake, or a lockdown?” one parent told ABC7.“We don’t have enough people in the yard to supervise our kids, and you’re asking me to send my 4-year-old to school? You promised that you would keep my kids safe and help them learn.So why is LAUSD cutting the funding?�...