Emotional, All-Night School Board Meeting Ends with Layoff Notices to 85 Santa Barbara Unified Teachers

Teachers, Parents, and Students Plead to Keep Arts and Music off Chopping Block

“Music saved me," said San Marcos High School sophomore Naomi Jane Voigt, one of the dozens of speakers who pleaded with the school board on Tuesday to save music and arts positions from being eliminated. | Credit: Courtesy

“Good evening” turned into “good morning” during public comment at the Santa Barbara Unified school board meeting on Tuesday. Teachers and students stuck around until 3 a.m. on Wednesday to protest the district’s proposed layoffs.

Tears were shed, poetry was read, and pizza was delivered. By the end of the night, students were sitting on the floor with blankets around their shoulders. It was a borderline sleepover for the many people who stayed, despite having school in the morning.

Parent Eric Weiss threatened to move his family out of the district should the board make cuts to the music program. | Credit: Callie Fausey

At 2:30 a.m. — eight hours after the meeting began — the board finally voted to send preliminary layoff notices to 85 teachers, including multiple arts and music positions.