THOUSAND OAKS : School Counselors Mount Silent Protest

About 20 Thousand Oaks counselors and psychologists staged a brief and silent protest before the Conejo Valley Unified school board Thursday night to call attention to their stalled contract negotiations.

Frustrated by the district’s unwillingness to meet their demands, the employees briefly stood in silence after one representative addressed the board.

“Our only request . . . was that services to our students be protected against further staffing cuts,” psychologist Patricia Rebbe told the school board. “The district has denied our request.”

After the meeting, the employees said they will seek community support to pressure the district to resolve the contract dispute.

“At this point, we plan to continue to put pressure on the board and fight for what we believe is a just settlement,” counselor David Holmboe said.

He declined to comment on what further actions the employees might take.

Over the past two years, the district has eliminated four counseling positions, leaving 14 counselors and nine psychologists at the district’s junior high and high schools.

The employees now want a guarantee that no more positions will be cut. But no such agreement could be reached during contract negotiations last month.

Officials have said they are unwilling to make guarantees, given the district’s uncertain financial future.

During Thursday’s meeting, Supt. Jerry C. Gross said the district will continue to work with the counselors to sign a new contract. The existing contract, which expired in June, has been extended until an agreement can be reached.

Board President Dolores Didio said in the 10 years she has served on the board, she has never known a contract negotiation between the counselors and the district to take so long.

“Any time you don’t finalize a contract, it is a concern,” she said. “The unfortunate part is there are only so many dollars we are dealing with these days.”