Board Cuts Superintendent Pay to $238K as Unions Near Breaking Point

The Pacifica School District board walked into a packed room Feb. 25 and walked out having reshaped the terms of its new superintendent's employment — slashing a proposed $257,335 salary to $238,000 — while punting two layoff resolutions that would eliminate more than 20 positions. Both the teachers' and classified employees' unions delivered urgent warnings: one is preparing unfair labor practice paperwork, the other rallied members in extraordinary numbers to protest proposed cuts after 240 days without a contract.

• Board negotiates superintendent salary down $19K after unions, teachers and parents call proposed compensation tone-deaf amid layoffs and stalled worker negotiations

• Teachers' union threatens unfair labor practice filing with the state after three consecutive fruitless bargaining sessions

• Both layoff resolutions tabled — certificated (15.8 FTE) to March 11 over a drafting error, classified (6 positions) to allow negotiations over a key bilingual role

• Classified employees rally in force, with CSEA labor representative calling the turnout "not normal" and a signal of deep offense

• 30 TK families left without school placement after the enrollment lottery, with parents lobbying for a Valimar campus option

• Immigration enforcement protections adopted before the March 1 state deadline under AB 495

The most heated item of the evening was the ratification of a three-year employment contract for Superintendent Dr. Carisa Bowman, whose proposed salary of $257,335 drew immediate and sustained opposition from every corner of the room.