The Grossmont Union High School District is moving forward with 61 planned layoffs, including all librarians and several counselors.

The final decision was made Thursday, April 24 in a board meeting with irate community members, sobbing students, and resigned staff members. Trustee Chris Fite made a motion to rescind the layoffs, but without a second from fellow board members, they did not discuss the move at all.

Community members were collecting signatures for a recall effort of the four trustees who proposed and approved the layoffs of 12 classified positions and 49 teachers, including all the schools’ dual credentialed teacher-librarians. Staff members without seniority from three years spent working in the district, like several para educators and GHS dance teacher Caryn Ipapo-Glass, likely put the total number of layoffs higher. Those positions did not need to go before the board to be approved.

Near the end of the meeting, 30 signatures had been collected to recall Scott Eckert, currently in his first term representing La Mesa— enough to file a notice of intent to recall. For a vote to be called, an additional 10,000 signatures would need to be gathered. According to a volunteer, gathering signatures to oust board president Dr. Gary Woods, who represents Area 3, was proving to be the most difficult among the crowd at the Grossmont High School (GHS) theater. Woods was first elected in 2008.

“If we don’t get this momentum going, they’ll be on the board for another 20 years,” worried Brian Jensen, one of the people collecting signatures. The four board members in favor of the layoffs have courted controversy in the past, including eliminating a mental health contractor for its programs for LGBT+ youth. The district was sued last year by a former special education administrator who said she was pushed out for being a lesbian. Trustee Jim Kelly allegedly called her a witch and part of an “LGBTQ coven.”

Meanwhile, Robert Shield and Eckert have faced scrutiny over their ties to private schools in the GUHSD district that could financially benefit from students leaving public school. These issues, as well as the board’s decision to look first to cutting student-facing positions amid the budget shortfall, were commented on repeatedly by community members at the meeting.

Another person spearheading the recall campaign, Andy, in public comment said, “We’re tired of having to fight for the basic rights of our children.” He spoke in response to comments from Shield at the last meeting during a hot mic moment where he said the controversy would blow over as people became fatigued after claiming librarians are overpaid.

The public comment portion of the evening was cut short with too many speakers for the allotted time, which began at 7:45 p.m., nearly two hours in to the board meeting. While the board promised people could speak after the meeting was over, private security locked the doors after 10 p.m. One waiting public speaker had to get someone inside to open the door for him after taking a bathroom break.

The first half of the meeting was spent recognizing staff and students in the district who received awards and honors. Some of them left the stage to return in public comments to fight for their jobs.

Teacher Donny Powers was a 2024-2025 Champion of Biliteracy Honoree who said he received notice his position was cut and he would be reassigned. Another speaker said the district’s Counselor of the Year Breezy Svacina of El Cajon Valley High School was among several counselors laid off.

The meeting was the first time the board acknowledge Kristen LoPrell, a GHS math teacher, who was named California Teacher of the Year 2025 back in October, something which had drawn criticism from student board representative Maggie Kelly and others. When she was brought on stage, the audience cheered when her wife kissed her. After the board moved forward with the staff cuts, LoPrell laid the bouquet they gave her on the stage.

The final notices to staff being laid off go out on May 15.

Top photo caption: A grim audience held signs pushing for the board to reverse its staff cuts during the meeting. (Photos by Drew Sitton)