EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Hundreds of teachers and staff across the Socorro Independent School District (SISD) will soon be left without a job in the upcoming school year.
The decision was made by the districts board of trusties in a 3-2 vote during a board meeting on Wednesday. Board president Michael Najera, Vice President Cynthia Najera, and Alice Gardea voted in favor or the plan. Marivel Macias and Paul Guerra opposed it.
Board Trustees Pablo Barrera and Ricardo Castellano were absent.
District officials said that SISD has been operating under a multi-million dollar deficit for at least the last two school years.
Wednesday’s vote will cut 38 million dollars from next year’s budget, which will result in staffing layoffs but will also eliminate most of its elementary fine arts programs and increase class sizes.
“It pains us all. Nobody ever want to see us in this position. But we, we made the decision that that needed that was in the best interest of the district as a whole to save us from a financial exigency,” said James Vasquez, SISD interim superintendent.
Before the decision was made, SISD teachers, students, parents and community members showed up, some speaking to the board directly, expressing their concerns about the staff and program cuts.
A lot of the teachers impacted by the layoffs are part of the fine arts department.
“The saddest part, I think, is just I’m looking at my kids tomorrow, you know, seeing them at school tomorrow, and then they’re feeling that, you know, this is this is the last year, this is it that they will have music next year. They won’t have a music teacher, “said Jessica Ramirez, SISD fine arts specialist in music.
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