Criticisms of the Los Angeles Community College District’s Human Resources department were brought up at a Board of Trustees meeting on March 5, due to what some speakers saw as a lack of action on discrimination in the district.
District Academic Senate President Angela Echeverri expressed her concerns about discrimination.
“HR has been weaponized against our faculty for speaking out and complaining about discrimination,” Echeverri said. “We can do better for our faculty and women of color, in particular Southwest. What is happening in this district is absolutely unacceptable.”
Echeverri also emphasized the importance of protecting initiatives such as diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as supporting undocumented students and the LGBTQ+ community.
“These really are unprecedented times. It’s up to us as a district to model an alternative, a better way,” Echeverri said. “Let’s treat our employees and our students with the respect of the decency that they deserve.”
Executive Director of the California Community Colleges’ Success Network Deborah Harrington shared a similar sentiment to Echeverri.
“I have never seen a time like this in my life,” Harrington said. “Our HR leadership is not living up to the standards that we deserve. Our members remain quite frustrated.”
AFT 1521 Staff Guild President Andrea Edwards argued that Human Resources is not actively taking charge to go over filed grievances that have affected the careers of Pierce College’s lifeguards.
“Our lifeguards right now at the Pierce campus are up for layoff,” Edwards said. “So when you see their names on your agenda today, these are people who have families and children to feed, these are people who are panicked and [have been] for two years”
Union members, such as SEIU Local 99 Executive Board representative Christzann Ozan, will hold a rally at Los Angeles City Hall on March 15, with different labor unions coming together to show solidarity for the communities that have faced attacks recently, such as immigrants.
“Our school system is under attack, so we want to send a message,” Ozan said. “We are going to continue to stand with our people in the community. Not only are we not going to allow things to go backwards, but we are going to continue to demand more.”
The next LACCD Board of Trustees meeting will occur on Wednesday, April 2. It can be accessed via Zoom and Youtube.
