'Don't pick on little schools'

The smallest school in Yuba City Unified had a big turnout Tuesday night of supporters who urged district trustees to keep Central Gaither open — with pleas that quoted Albert Einstein and asked for cuts in district administration.

"There is no price you can put on the education children are getting in this school," said Betty Wynn, whose grandchild attends the rural elementary school of nearly 200 students south of the Yuba City limits.

High school student Margery Magill, who attended Central Gaither, praised the school for teaching values and cited Einstein's advice to "not be a man of success but a man of values."

The community forum that brought a standing-room-only turnout of more than 150 people to the multipurpose room began with Baldev Johal, deputy superintendent of business, saying that top district administrators recommended closing Central Gaither among money-saving options.

Continued state budget cuts that he compared to watching a slow-motion train crash require Yuba City Unified make substantial cuts, Johal said.

A total of $324,967 in savings are projected by Central Gaither's closing that could take place at the end of the school year.

No decision was made at the meeting, but statements by several trustees suggest they'll support keeping Central Gaither open when the issue is expected to return in January.

"I've never seen anything like this," Trustee James Ferreira said of the support for the school. "I favor keeping what's working."

Trustee Lonetta Riley referred to statements by fellow trustees about how they benefited by attending small schools.

"Remember that when we vote," Riley said. "We're counting on this board to make the right decision."

"The little school off of Highway 113," she said, "is still getting it done."

John Magenheimer, retired after working as a custodian at Central Gaither for 37 years, told trustees that "this is our little community."

"Don't cut us out," he urged. Ed Haegele, a retired Yuba College instructor and administrator, asked that the school district find funds elsewhere.

"Don't just pick on the little schools," he said.

Parent Cassandra Hoon, who has two children at Central Gaither, said the school district administration "makes way too much money."

Seventh-grader Alicia Escobar said if the school is closed and students transfer to Barry Elementary about five miles away that "we're just going to be another student."

"You know every teacher in here," she said of Central Gaither. "They're like your family."

Johal said closing the school would save the principal's $152,619 salary, $58,064 for the head custodian and $51,669 for the school secretary.

He said state budget cuts to Yuba City Unified finances brought the school's status before trustees — and that he understood speakers' concerns.

"If I were a parent at Central Gaither," Johal said, "I'd be doing the exact same thing."

Trustee Mary Henson said the school district has to make cuts starting in January.

"Where can we make the cuts that hurt children the least?" Henson asked. "We will have many other meetings with many other groups."

"You're not alone," she told those gathered for the forum.

Deborah Mosley said near the end of the meeting that five generations of her family have attended Central Gaither, which she called a "great school."

What you'd gain by closing the school, Mosley told trustees, "is nothing compared to what we're going to lose."

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Ryan McCarthy at 749-4707 or rmccarthy@appealdemocrat.com