Education leaders have asked the state’s Republican lawmakers to pass temporary sales tax increases that would help ease the pain of budget cuts. California Gov. Jerry Brown has said the state’s budget situation would force him to make drastic cuts to public schools.

The pink slips are the “ugly reality of the state budget” and a “direct result of the state’s refusal to make education a priority,” said Robert Alaniz, LAUSD’s director of communications.

Alaniz said LAUSD officials hope the governor’s budget proposal will place K-12 education as a priority, and they hope to rescind the termination notices.

Alaniz noted that although much of the media focus has been on librarians, budget woes and layoff notices are affecting teachers, school counselors, and other school employees as well. More than 7,000 pink slips have been issued to district employees in all, he said.

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