Cafeteria Workers Take On California's Capitol
Barbara Torres says she was a "troubled child" growing up in the Los Angeles public school system.
But, at age 14, an administrator gave her a chance, setting her up with work as a student aide. Torres has remained an employee of the Los Angeles Unified School District for the past 16 years. She works as a special education assistant, helping children with autism adapt to mainstream classrooms.
With the financial stresses on education, though, she worries that the next troubled child to come through LAUSD's public schools may not be quite so lucky.
"Kids have issues but we can work through them, they can graduate. You just have to have that push," Torres told The Huffington Post. "We're overworked, morale is low, there are furloughs and there are pay cuts. We all have to do extra. It's hard on us but it's even harder on the kids. What if those kids don't have that somebody like I did?"
Torres says that's why she plans to join about 100 other education service workers, from cafeteria servers to bus
But, at age 14, an administrator gave her a chance, setting her up with work as a student aide. Torres has remained an employee of the Los Angeles Unified School District for the past 16 years. She works as a special education assistant, helping children with autism adapt to mainstream classrooms.
With the financial stresses on education, though, she worries that the next troubled child to come through LAUSD's public schools may not be quite so lucky.
"Kids have issues but we can work through them, they can graduate. You just have to have that push," Torres told The Huffington Post. "We're overworked, morale is low, there are furloughs and there are pay cuts. We all have to do extra. It's hard on us but it's even harder on the kids. What if those kids don't have that somebody like I did?"
Torres says that's why she plans to join about 100 other education service workers, from cafeteria servers to bus