By HEATHER CATHLEEN COX
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com
There has been a freeze placed on up to 10 full-time San Benito Consolidated Independent School District security guard positions, said SBCISD Superintendent of Schools Antonio G. Limón on Thursday.
To some SBCISD security guards with tenure of five to 10 plus years, this poses a significant concern. In light of the board’s decision to award the same $1,000 retention incentive to qualifying district employees, whether the individual was a degreed professional and/or paraprofessional, many security guards feel left out entirely.
SBCISD Board Secretary June Aguilera mentioned at a recent meeting to discuss the aforementioned incentive that she feels all employees of the district are equal pillars and should be compensated accordingly.
Francisca Gonzalez says she’s been employed with the district for five years. She said of Aguilera’s speech regarding equality, “Ms. Aguilera talked about everyone being equal. Well, if that’s true, she should be equal with everyone, then. We (security guards) are part of the district also. She never mentioned us.”
Of around 100 security guards within the district, Limón explained that only nine or 10 are considered full-time employees. “The rest,” said the superintendent, “are considered substitutes.”
At the close of the previously mentioned meeting, around 10 unhappy security guards asserted that they haven’t received a raise since minimum wage increased from $5.25 eight years ago.
Additionally, the district does not allow for part-time employees, such as security guards, to receive benefits. Limón said he would be discussing the concept of “bringing them all in as district employees” with the school board at a later date, but could not comment regarding the potential outcome of such a discussion.
An emotional Gonzalez said, “Ten positions are there for full time security guards. They (officials) just won’t fill them.”
“We’re looking into that right now,” explained the superintendent, who added, “and that’s all I can say.” He re-emphasized that all full-time security positions have been frozen.
Furthermore, Limón said, “The district is looking into the possibility of taking (the matter) to the board, to (evaluate) the way we currently hire security.” He expressed that, at least for now, the district will not guarantee the number of work hours for part-time employees or even “that work will be available for them every day.”
Several security guards showed up at the special meeting of the school board to discuss holiday retention incentives, and around 10 approached School Board President Yliana G. Rodriguez after the meeting.
To the guards inquiring where their consideration, with regards to the holiday incentive, was, Rodriguez said, “I can’t answer that right now. It was not on tonight’s agenda.”
Rodriguez invited the individuals to speak during public comment at an appropriate time.
Limón said scheduling of security guards falls on the shoulders of the district police chief. The superintendent said, “Hours can’t be guaranteed. It’s the police chief that does the scheduling. Sometimes we call them, sometimes we don’t. If he doesn’t have a need for them, he can send them home.”
A recommendation may be presented to the board to approve the district-wide incentive for security guards who have worked over 30 hours, said Limón. He said, “The board is currently looking into the possibility of awarding the incentive to those security guards who meet the guidelines as established by the resolution.”
No such meeting has been slated as of presstime Tuesday.
2 comments
These security guards and policemen work very hard. When you have to clean up the mess of many of these students at all hours of the day with the pay they receive its unbelievable; I see them at football games, where parents just drop off these students like a daycare and as big as our stadium is ALL STUDENTS should be sitting down and not walking around. These poor policemen and security guards are like babysitters at times. Lets support these individuals because many of us would not want to do what these men and women do. Keep up the good work and May God Bless you and your families.
Here we go again…. June A. evidently did not do her homework. Someone should remind her that when she wants to speak and speak and speak, to at least have her facts straight. ALL SBCISD employees should have received this “incentive”. What happened to “everyone being PILLARS”?