San Diego County— Yesterday evening, two members of the Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) Board of Trustees, Board Member Priscilla Schreiber and Board Member Dick Hoy, participated in SEIU Local 221’s “Walk A Day” program. The Board Members observed and assisted two district custodians, Shawn Williams and Dorothy Johnson, by accompanying them on their evening shifts, thereby “Walking A Day” in the custodian’s shoes.

The “Walk A Day” program is designed to highlight the important jobs custodians perform. Custodial jobs at GUHSD could be cut due to the state budget deficit and will have a devastating impact on our children.

"I think the ‘Walk A Day’ program is a good way for Board Members to see what it’s like to clean the District's facilities and it really puts a human face on these budget cuts,” Shawn Williams, Custodian at Monte Vista High School said.

District custodians, like Shawn Williams and Dorothy Johnson, cleaned up after the MRSA outbreak at the district.

The GUHSD Board is considering custodial layoffs and will make the final decision on these jobs at the May 28, 2008 Board meeting. SEIU Local 221, the union that represents the custodians, grounds workers and utility workers at GUHSD, has urged the Board to learn more about the vital services employees provide before making the final decision about layoffs. Employees have offered alternative solutions to job cuts that would instead minimize the budget impacts on our children.

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