Francis Howell Families proposes steps to alleviate severe staffing issues

Last year, FHSD suspended recess para positions for budgetary reasons.  Francis Howell Families called for restoring these positions and offered suggestions where the budget could be cut in other ways.

The recess para positions have been restored this year, but the district now has more severe problems:  At publication of this article,  approximately 59 of 300 total paraprofessional positions are unfilled.  40 of these provide essential support to our special education students.  The district also has about 53 unfilled custodial positions out of 129 total.  This problem has become so severe that some teachers have helped by cleaning bathrooms.

We understand that the labor market is very difficult and the district says that they are doing what they can to fill these positions.  In the mean time, we suggest the following temporary actions:

1. All central office staff should spend at least one day a week working as either a para, sub, or custodian.
2. Discretionary spending will be severely cut until these severe shortages are resolved.  The savings will be used to offer hiring bonuses to help fill these positions.   Some examples of expense cuts/freezes:
   • All discretionary travel, especially like recently approved to a Social Studies conference that offers several dozen sessions on CRT, gender ideology, “anti-racism”, etc.   This conference also includes a session with  the district’s favorite CRT consultant, LaGarrett King.
   • Money to purchase books with sexually explicit materials including rape, pedophilia, etc.
   • Freeze hiring and salaries of central office positions

Francis Howell Families would welcome the opportunity to partner with the district to organize community volunteers to help clean buildings in the evening.