Library layoffs spur fears of decline in state education quality
By Michael Worringer
Joyce Miller has been the library media center director at Monroe High School for longer than most of the school’s students have been alive. She, along with the other four librarians in the Monroe School District, brings a wealth of experience to her job each day, providing invaluable assistance to students as they develop the skills necessary to succeed in the future. Miller has been vital to the Monroe High School for 17 years. The district has laid her off, as well as three other librarians with more seniority than Miller, effective the end of the school year.
Kathleen Steingraber has worked for the Hustisford School District for 29 years. She is the only library media specialist at John Hustis Elementary School and Hustisford Junior and Senior High School. In 2003-’04, the district reduced her from full time to 60 percent of full time, forcing her to only be available at each school for a day and a half each week. When the district offered her just 30 percent of full time, or a mere 12 hours per week, for 2004-’05, Steingraber had enough. The Hustisford Education Association (HEA) filed a complaint on her behalf with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), charging the school district had violated the state’s minimum library media service requirements. DPI agreed, and the district restored Steingraber back to 60 percent.
These are just two examples of the perils school librarians are facing all around Wisconsin. Although studies have shown school libraries are an indispensable part of education (see sidebar), more and more school districts are jeopardizing their school library media programs and eroding the quality of education by eliminating library staff positions.
Steingraber sent an e-mail over the Wisconsin Educational Media Association listserv March 13 asking librarians to e-mail her “If any districts are having librarian layoffs and feel the ratio of staffing is not what DPI recommends.” Within one month, Steingraber had heard from 26 schools from Milwaukee, Hayward, and everywhere in between. She continues to occasionally receive e-mails even two months later.
How has this happened so rapidly, in so many communities? On the surface, the answer appears to be of little surprise: tight budgets are forcing school districts into cuts across the board. In Monroe, for example, the district also cut its French program, driver’s education classes, and cheerleading squads. However, budget constraints have been a prevalent issue for several years, and library programs have previously survived. This time around, the impetus behind elimination of librarians may stem from a pattern of ambivalence toward state law, as demonstrated by Steingraber’s grievance with the Hustisford School District.
“I’m not sure if everyone realizes there is a standard for every area of instruction,” Steingraber said. “School districts seem to be ignoring them.”
That standard, commonly referred to as “section H” of the Wisconsin Administrative Code, states each school district must provide library media services performed by or under the direction of licensed library and audio visual personnel for kindergarten through grade 6, and library media services performed by licensed library and audio visual personnel for grades 7-12.
Some districts appear to be ignoring the standards by reducing staff to the point that section H duties – in addition to other state requirements concerning management of school library collections – cannot be fulfilled in the small number of hours districts are budgeting for its licensed personnel.
“Our administration is still headed in the wrong direction with regards to staffing, despite DPI’s intervention and a growing grievance list,” A Milwaukee high school librarian wrote to Steingraber. “MPS’ refusal to go along with the DPI on section H is now leading other administrators around the state to ask, ‘If Milwaukee doesn’t have to comply, why do we?’”
With few ramifications for violations of section H, school districts facing budget crises may have been emboldened to cut library services more easily. The effects will likely be felt most severely when the next school year begins in September. In Monroe, one librarian will have to manage six school libraries. Monroe Superintendent Craig Jefson told the Monroe Times that he sympathizes with citizens upset with the cuts that are being made as a result of budget issues, and the district is bringing in a number of part-time aides to staff the school libraries to help offset the cuts, many of whom are being reassigned from other district support staff positions.
Miller appreciates the efforts to utilize aides, but noted their shortcomings in her statement to the Monroe Board of Education in January.
“[Aides] do not have the expertise, nor should they be expected, to handle the ordering, teaching of the Information and Technology Literacy Standards, and assisting in the reading program with book talks and as a reader’s advisor,” she said. “To cut so deeply into one program and devastate it does not seem in the best interest of the students or staff.”
Jefson said the biggest effect will be the curriculum changes for teachers, who will be responsible for teaching kids about study skills, research methods, and the Dewey Decimal System.
Steingraber argues the less time librarians are in the state’s schools leads to less time teachers have to instruct on other important subjects. However, she thinks it will take action by concerned citizens or a more punitive response against offending school districts by DPI to reverse what she sees as an overall decline in the state’s education levels.
“Teachers realize the loss, but they are helpless in the battle,” she said. “But until local citizens see the missing pieces, it will be hard to change.”
Michael Worringer is the WLA Foundation’s Public Relations Intern, assigned to the Campaign for Wisconsin Libraries. Among other duties, Michael writes content for the Campaign web site, including news stories about libraries and the challenges facing them and features about all types of libraries and the people who work in them.