San Jose school district approves dozens of job cuts amid outrage

San Jose district approves dozens of job cuts in schools amid outrage from teachers, parents

Teachers and parents slammed cuts to education in San Jose Thursday night, saying students will suffer. The East Side Union High School District board approved a proposal to slash dozens of positions in schools--from teachers to social workers. But some are holding out hope that at least some of those jobs could still be saved. 

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Teachers and parents slammed cuts to education in San Jose Thursday night, saying students will suffer. The East Side Union High School District board approved a proposal to slash dozens of positions in schools—from teachers to social workers. But some are holding out hope that at least some of those jobs could still be saved. 

The cuts include the equivalent of around 45 full-time in-school positions—among them eight counselors, seven social workers, five advisors and 20 classroom teachers. 

Teachers blast job cuts

What they're saying:

"With 70 percent of our youths being low income, foster youth and homeless and English learners, for those kids, they can't get the education they deserve without these services," said East Side Teachers Association President Jack Hamner. 

"What happens if there's a student who's having some social emotional problem?" said Calero High School teacher Joe Vansambeek. "And if we don't have that social worker that's able to help them process that, they're not going to be on campus."

Teachers say they're worried about the impact on academics, mental health and safety on campus. 

"We need our teachers. We need our support staff. We need boots on the ground," said ESUHSD teacher Phyllis Dugall. 

"If we take that safety net, it's going to affect everybody," said teacher Zuly Reyes. "Definitely I am concerned about safety."

Audrey Strain, whose daughter attends Calero High School, says she's concerned the cuts could undo the progress her daughter has made. 

"She failed all of her freshman courses, and has now made up those credits and is junior class president," said Strain.

‘Tough decisions’

Parents and teachers pack an East Side Union High School District meeting in San Jose. Jan. 22, 2026

District leaders say they don't take cuts like these lightly. 

"These are tough decisions, and they are the trade-off that you have to make," said ESUHSD board member Bryan Do. 

"That pains me, and I want to make sure I'm looking you all in the eye tonight to know that every service here is necessary," said Superintendent Glenn Vander Zee. 

Vander Zee blames a school funding system that he says favors wealthier districts. 

"The way the state of California chooses to fund its students is flawed and unfair to students of the East Side," said Vander Zee. 

Some board members say this problem has been years in the making. 

"The administration hasn't made as much of a cut as I would have recommended the last 3 years, and now we have to make a very dramatic cut," said Do. 

But many would like to see more cuts in management, and fewer in the classroom. 

"Aren't there other areas where we can look at reducing spending," said Dugall. 

What's next:

While the board did approve the job cuts on Thursday night, it also approved the creation of a committee to look at where else cuts could possibly be made, to possibly reduce the number of jobs that are ultimately lost.

 That committee will report back to the board on Feb 12, which is when the board will take a final vote on the job cuts.