Modesto school librarian cuts don't add up

The Modesto City Schools board voted last week to issue layoff notices to the K-6 librarians. It's disappointing that after passing Proposition 30 we would still be considering cutting positions.

While those librarians would go back into the classroom, the classroom teachers with the lowest seniority would be without a job.

Trustee Amy Neumann justified cutting librarians by saying they can be replaced with PE teachers, which will in turn increase instruction time with the teachers. If increasing instruction time were really the reason, wouldn't they be giving us back the rest of the furlough days?

Steve Grenbeaux said that it gives MCS "flexibility." By that I can only assume he means it allows for the district to use the librarians as bargaining chips in negotiations.

Has MCS lost sight of the students? Not increasing class sizes, keeping our librarians and nurses, and adding our cut furlough days back to the calendar when our reserves are up all seem like reasonable requests that directly benefit students.

In the words of my 4-year-old's hero, Spiderman: "It's the choices that make us who we are, and we can always choose to do what's right." Let's do what's right for the students!

JENNIFER McGRATH-OLLAR

Modesto