School Librarians Getting the Boot in Arizona

Wed, 05/14/2008 - 18:12 — birdie

Mesa Public School librarians and their supporters demonstrated again Tuesday over job cuts and what they called the "dumbing down" of services for students.

The district, facing $13 million in cuts to the budget, plans to move librarians back to the classroom and replace them with aides. The district also plans to replace some nurses and speech experts with aides and assistants over the next three years, saving an estimated $3 million.

Protest organizer Ann Ewbank said she and others met with board president Rich Crandall and Superintendent Debra Duvall on Monday to voice concerns about the new plan.

Ewbank said the new advocacy group, Fund Our Future Arizona, would propose alternative librarian models before the next Mesa school board meeting, May 27 . AZ Central story.