Woodland Hills Education Association Calls For Change After Staff Cuts
ALLEGHENY COUNTY (KDKA) -- Staff cuts in a local school district have parents and teachers worried about the future.
Sixty staff members recently lost their jobs in the Woodland Hills School District.
Families and teachers showed up Wednesday to a board meeting, letting officials know they do not have the help they need.
After the job losses, the high school has two guidance counselors remaining.
"They're talking about traumatized kids, we don't have counselors," Woodland Hills Education Association president Raymond Mulligan said.
"We have 38 percent of our students that are special (education) students," Mulligan said. "This is something the students deserve."
The overriding issue facing the district for both students and teachers is safety.
"There are issues with the busing," head custodian Brian Johnson said. "There are children on the bus, they cut the peaceful bus monitors. There are fifth-graders beating up on kindergartners and first-graders."
The Woodland Hills Education Association is asking the district to immediately add guidance counselors, for principals at the schools to follow the code of conduct, help for traumatized kids, additional security guards and hall monitors.
"There isn't enough staff to keep the building secure. Buildings are at capacity," Johnson said. "There are rooms with 30-plus kids in them."