SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- The Grossmont Union High School District could see some staff cuts soon.
Acting Superintendent Sandra Huezo sent an internal email to employees warning of "difficult financial realities" and "necessary staffing reductions" she is planning to propose to the Governing Board during Thursday's meeting.
"Like many school districts across California, including those in San Diego County, GUHSD is facing long-term budget challenges due to declining enrollment and an uncertain state budget, exacerbated by recent events such as the Southern California wildfires," said Huezo in the email.
"They're talking about cutting the librarians from high school, that sounds ridiculous. Every single student uses all those services to reach the best potential they possibly can," said James Messina, a veteran district teacher and the President of the Grossmont Education Association.
Messina says he already received information some librarians have been impacted.
"Everyone is now instantly concerned if they are going to lose their job and this is not needed in the slightest," he said.
He said class sizes could increase as a result of staffing reductions as well.
"My reaction is that the people making these decisions are not thinking about kids. I don't think they understand what libraries are now. I think people have a vision of libraries are they were in the 20s when it was 'Shhh. Don't talk.' They're not like that, they're hubs," said Laura Prebble, a retired district teacher and librarian. "Librarians do a host of things. They help with research and help teachers plan research projects."
Prebble fears students will engage less and test scores and grades will suffer.
In her statement Heuzo said, "One key factor is that the District currently employs more than 200 additional full-time equivalent (FTE) positions compared to a decade ago, despite serving fewer students today. While there were valid reasons for these additions at the time, leaving this imbalance unaddressed would put the District's long-term financial health at significant risk, and limit the organization's ability to adapt to students' evolving educational needs."
Some teachers are expected to attend Thursday's meeting to oppose the proposed cuts. The meeting starts at 4:30 p.m. at El Cajon Valley High School.
"We have the highest ending reserve we've ever had, over $100 million," Messina said. "We don't need to make these cuts, and it's going to be awful for students."
Meanwhile Huezo acknowledged the vital role libraries play in schools, but also added that due to long term budget challenges, she feels the district must reimagine how libraries are staffed in order to balance fiscal responsibility with the educational priorities of schools.