The state's ongoing budget crisis will cause further cuts to public education and impact Torrance Unified schools directly, members of the district's Board of Education said Tuesday.
Their comments come about a week after California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger released his proposed budget and publicly vowed not to cut funding from public education.
"Because our future economic well-being is so dependent upon education, I will protect education funding in this budget. And we can no longer afford to cut higher education either," Schwarzenegger said during his final State of the State address.
Yet the state is looking to save nearly $900 million by cutting back on the popular class-size reduction program.
"When we have to raise K-3 class sizes...that is the result of the governor 'protecting education,'" said school board member Al Muratsuchi during a district board meeting Tuesday."We need to educate the community, so that when they see class size increases, their favorite teacher getting laid off, and the school year being shortened, that they understand this is all because Sacramento is failing the entire state."
Terry Anderson, Senior Director of Legislative Service for School Services of California, commended the district for vigilant fiscal practices in the past.
"Being solvent comes at a price," Anderson said.
Board members warned that significant cuts - up to $20 million - could be slashed from the district's $188 million budget.
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