Youth leaders from PICO affiliate Inland Congregations United for Change (ICUC) in San Bernardino won a major victory recently when the school board decided unanimously to revise their original plan to lay off 155 teachers, saying that they would cut $31 million of the district's budget without laying off the teachers. ICUC youth had been working intensively over the past few weeks to stop the budget cuts and ensure that the school board take measures to avoid laying off teachers.

With the Governor proposing to cut $4.4 billion from California's education budget next year, school districts across the state are scrambling for ways to reduce spending. Youth leaders from ICUC, with the support from many parents and teachers, have been working to reverse the proposed budget cuts while also ensuring that students with the greatest need are least affected. In San Bernardino, this means not firing teachers and not increasing class sizes.

ICUC students and parents quickly went to work building support for their proposals, meeting with five of the seven school board members over a 10-day period. Students also drafted resolutions against the cuts and, together with school board members, worked to have both the city and county boards of education pass these resolutions.

On May 6, ICUC student leaders held a press conference before a school board meeting, where they presented 5,400 signatures on a petition opposing the Governor's budget plan. Several members of the school board, as well as the Superintendent, were present in support of the youth. Afterwards, the ICUC youth gave testimony before the school board about the impact that the budget cuts would have on their schools. Shortly after, the seven member school board announced that they had decided not to lay off the 155 teachers who had already received preliminary pink slips.

ICUC youth organizers followed up their victory by meeting with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's District Director and presenting him with their petitions. In that meeting, the Governor's district director made a commitment that the student petitions would be delivered directly to the Governor.

For more information on Inland Congregations United for Change, visit www.icucpico.org

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