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The teachers and staff members of the FUSD are facing a major problem. This spring, their contract expired, and they are currently working without one. What this means for them is that as prices rise, their wages are stuck at the same level they were in the spring. To this end, FUDTA (Fremont Unified District Teachers’ Association) is bargaining with the district to give staff members and educators a new contract for the next three years.
However, teacher pay is just one of many issues facing the district. This January, FUDTA conducted a district-wide survey of all educators and staff members, asking them what their top concerns were. One of the greatest concerns expressed across all school sites was class sizes. According to the terms of the current contract, the district is meant to be staffing high school classes at a student-to-teacher ratio of 30:1, and it also states that their goal is that in a core class, class sizes should not exceed 31 students. However, this goal is not being met, and this is having negative effects on both teachers and students. “I think the fact that the district is refusing to put any sort of hard caps on class sizes means that kids are going to learn in overcrowded classrooms,” said Washington Econ/Gov teacher and FUDTA representative, Mr. Raskin. “That means they’re not going to get individual attention from teachers. If you’ve ever had a teacher and you’ve turned in your homework and you just keep not getting it back, and it’s frustrating, it’s not because we don’t want to give it back. It’s because the more students we have, the longer it takes for us to grade it, and we want to provide good feedback. So the bigger the class, the longer it takes before you get it back.”
Another major problem FUSD staff members are facing is that the district does not provide them healthcare, as in the late 1990s, when healthcare was more affordable than it is now, the decision was made by the union to trade away their healthcare coverage for higher wages. This affects not only teachers, but students as well. “I think that if you have a district where teachers don’t get healthcare, it means they’re going to get sick more often—that means you spend more time with substitutes—and most other districts have healthcare, which means that I’ve known a lot of teachers who just decided to leave Fremont and go to another district,” said Mr. Raskin.
These problems have not yet been solved, and one reason for that is because the district claims that it simply does not have enough money to address them. The FUSD is one of the lowest funded and least equitable school districts in the entire state of California. It is currently in the process of resolving a structural deficit of $30 million, will lose about $8 million in one-time funding sources that are part of their “restricted budget,” and has to address these concerns before the 2025-2026 academic year. “I agree that lower class sizes and medical benefits for our staff are among the many additional offerings and benefits our employees deserve,” said FUSD superintendent Erik Burmeister. “But as one of the lowest funded districts in the state, Fremont Unified simply has not historically had money to pay for lower class sizes and medical benefits.” Budget reductions must be made to resolve this deficit, and the Board of Education has been considering the input of staff members, students, families, and community members as it decides where to make these cuts. If it moves forward with a timeline recommended by the staff, the Board of Education will vote on specific budget reductions during a regular Board meeting on January 8, 2025.
Naturally, the parents of FUSD students are very concerned about how these issues impact their children. “If teachers are stressed regarding their inability to take care of their own health without a partner’s support, those stressors will definitely show up in the classroom,” said Aseem Mohanty, the father of two students in the FUSD. “Not having healthcare on the table also means FUSD’s ability to hire and retain great teachers is deeply hamstrung.”
“I would like to question the rationale for budget cuts in the first place,” added Mr. Mohanty. “One of the things that has made Fremont attractive for families is the high quality of education that all our residents’ children get. I strongly feel that the city needs to prioritize this more so than other undertakings and figure out ways to fund FUSD at a level that is required to be able to sustain the high quality over the long term. There are very few areas where cuts can actually be made without reducing the quality and experience of our children in a concrete manner.”
Overall, Mr. Mohanty agrees with FUDTA’s position. “I strongly feel that FUDTA is justified in their asks and I fully support them on this endeavor. I cannot see how someone, let alone a teacher, can survive and be able to care for and educate our children if they are not in a position to support and take care of themselves. Aside from the salary considerations, not having healthcare in one of the most prosperous communities in one of the most high [cost of living] areas in the world is unconscionable. Given the impact they have on our children, community, and future, I strongly feel that giving teachers a bare modicum of support is the least we can do.”
An additional factor in the budget discussion is Measure M, which, if passed, will authorize the district to issue $919 million in bonds. This will require an estimated property tax levy of 4.9 cents per $100 of assessed value, and the money made from this will be used to repair school facilities and upgrade them. “Although FUDTA members would not receive the funds, FUDTA still supports Measure M, because we believe that students deserve to learn in well-maintained classrooms,” said Mr. Raskin. “FUSD needs to update its science labs, replace deteriorating portables with permanent classrooms, upgrade our electrical systems to make them sustainable—and that all costs money.” Mr. Mohanty also commented on Measure M. “I am strongly supportive of [Measure M] and will be voting for it,” said Mr. Mohanty. “The outcomes from the last bond measure have been really impactful and I would like to see more of it.”
The issue of money and funding is always complicated, no matter the context. Although FUSD schools and staff members are facing serious issues, like overcrowded classrooms and a lack of healthcare, and are mobilizing as a union to try and negotiate with the district and fix these issues, the district claims to not have enough money to address all of them. The FUSD is currently accepting the input of everyone in Fremont in making these difficult decisions—students, parents, their own staff members, and any other community member who has something to say. If you want to share your thoughts, the Budget Input Portal is open until October 31st, and for more information in general, you can visit the Balanced Budget Process page on the FUSD website.
Arjun Mathur is a freshman at Washington High School. He was born in Fremont and has lived here for his whole life. This is his first year at the Hatchet, and he’s interested in writing an opinions column or writing about the arts and life in Fremont. In his spare time, Arjun enjoys reading books, writing essays, watching YouTube, playing video games, talking to his friends, and listening to music. In the future, he wants to go to college, and become a history teacher or do something in psychology.