Why can’t my school just replace programs or staff which were eliminated in the budget cuts with parent volunteers?
Some parents have asked whether parents can volunteer to teach music, provide help in their library, or even to do basic maintenance around the school. Under labor law and the collective bargaining agreements with the employee organizations, no one school can pay to bring back any bargaining unit employee, whether it be music teachers, librarians or other teachers by itself, unless the position is brought back across the district equally. Any position eliminated in the budget cuts must be replaced at all schools or not at all. Under the law, volunteers may not replace any laid off employee. The district employee must be reinstated in order to provide their previous function. A good example is fourth grade instrumental music. While many schools may want to supplement music at their school with volunteers, the entire program must be brought back across the district at a price of approximately $90,000. Only SOSCV!’s district-wide approach to fundraising can address this type of need.
