San Dimas : Non-Teaching Staff Protests

More than 150 non-teaching employees of the Bonita Unified School District wore red to Wednesday’s board meeting to protest their salary levels and almost certain layoffs from their ranks.

Their union is negotiating for improved salaries and benefits.

District teachers’ salaries ranked fifth in the county, while those of non-teachers, excluding administrators, ranked last, said union representative Brad Patterson, a district mechanic. He also said that Bonita teacher salaries have risen 29.1% in the past five years, although state cost-of-living adjustments to the district have only gone up 19.7%. Non-teaching employees have earned about 2.5% less than that cost-of-living adjustment over the same period, he said.

Because of cuts in state funding, Assistant Supt. Karen Willett said, the district would have to slash as much as $2.4 million to balance next year’s projected budget of almost $42 million.