By Kaya Perales,
Staff Writer.
Senior Kyle Bradford attended the Santa Rosa City Schools’ Board Meeting on Aug. 28 and, to his own surprise, made a public comment. “I came here with no intent to speak. But after hearing the stories of people who have supported me from elementary school to high school not be able to support themselves, I had to,” said Bradford.
Bradford is referencing classified employees: the staff on campus who supervise, prepare food, organize data of students, offer instructional aid, maintain cleanliness and practically every other action that enables students to attend school in a safe and engaging environment. “We are the people that make the school,” said health technician Jessica Jones.
Classified employees are part of California School Employees Association (CSEA), a union that assists them in better pay, benefits and treatment. “Our contract expires on Halloween and we are supposed to be negotiating in the spring so we can vote on a contract when we come back in August,” said library technician, Joana Kiesel. “Right now the district has told us they do not want to negotiate salaries until December, so they want us to work out of contract for two months before they even bring us a proposal.” A potential proposal must be agreed upon and then approved. Employees may not see a raise until spring, many living paycheck to paycheck. “A Starbucks shift supervisor makes the same amount of money I do after being here for six years,” Keisel said. “This position starts at a little over $20 an hour.”
Board of Education President, Omar Medina, addressed the CSEA members who came to demonstrate their frustration at the board meeting: “As you know, our district is facing significant financial challenges. We are currently limited in our ability to increase expenses, including wages, until we have a clear picture of our financial situation.” The district’s financial situation is not to be understated; over $26 million needs to be cut by the end of the 2026 school year and the district is at risk of a state takeover. But these problems with the budget did not prevent the SRCS administrators, certificated staff and even the Board of Education from receiving significant raises earlier this year.
All SRCS salaries can be found by going to the SRCS website and searching for “Salary Schedules.” “I would encourage all students to look at the pay scales and look at how much money people are being paid to essentially support you,” said Kiesel.
Do these wages compensate classified employees for their tireless work? Are they even livable? “There are multiple videos of me breaking up fights,” said family engagement facilitator and former campus supervisor Gary Arkoff. “I’m fortunate that my wife and I can live on the pittance that I earn because I had a previous career.”
