Schedule changes and staff reassignments continued to cause frustration at Tuesday's Hammond School Board meeting.
Barbara Garcia told board members her grandson at Scott Middle School has already had his schedule changed eight times. "It's ridiculous!" she said. "It doesn't take that long to make a schedule; I'm sorry."
It's also been frustrating for teachers, like Harding Elementary teacher Rina Horgan. "You've known where you stood with the numbers before school started, yet we are still making these changes five weeks in," Horgan told board members. "This lack of proper planning has caused grief and distress, both with students and their families and staff."
The issue reached a boiling point Friday, when 31 out of 44 Scott Middle School teachers called off work.
The school board signed off on a number of transfers and reassignments Tuesday as part of its personnel report, with Carlotta Blake-King casting the lone opposing vote. "To say the least, I am appalled, totally upset," Blake-King said. "I can understand it. I've heard both sides, and all I saw was total chaos."
Chief Financial Officer Eric Kurtz said the district is looking to "right-size" at a time when it's under increased scrutiny from the state to balance its books. "The reality is, if the referendum does not pass, there is no possible way for us to bring our budget into alignment without reducing our workforce" Kurtz said. "There is no way."
Still, Blake-King felt there are other places where the School City of Hammond could cut its budget, such as outsourced substitute teacher services.