The cuts are felt everywhere. With $11.6 billion cut from California public schools and colleges, students may no longer have the guidance they need. Approximately 27,000 pink slips were mailed to the faculty of the state school system as of March. Counselors here were not excluded.

A pink slip is a notice that tells an employee he or she may be laid off or fired. Excluding the guidance chair, all counselors received one. Samantha Wirzberger doesn’t think this has ever happened in the district.

“There was a period of days where I walked in a daze,” recalls Silvia DeAlba after hearing the news. “Almost as if I’ve lost something.”

According to Wirzberger, “We expected because of the economy and the budget crisis (that) the counseling unit would become a smaller unit and that we would have fewer counselors.” 

But, added DeAlba, “What was unexpected was that they actually used the words ‘elimination of counselors’ … I thought maybe cuts, but I didn’t expect total elimination.”

She is referring to Superintendent Anthony Amato, who announced this in a board meeting earlier this year.  

DeAlba is still concerned about her students. “How are they going to get the services that they need? The services that my position provides?” DeAlba was aware of the budget cuts but didn’t realize how deep they were. It may be someone else’s job to register students for classes and monitor their progress next year, but counselors, as well as students, know the job calls for more than that. DeAlba shared her more maternal attitude as a counselor. 

“I wanted to say the word, ‘Mom.’ You know? I feel like a mom … I feel like those kids are my kids.” 

Wirzberger agreed that counseling goes beyond paperwork and discipline. “A lot of times, they just need support. They don’t feel close to their parents, so even on top of just being emotional and mental support, it is guidance through high school, into college, and into adult life.” Her own inspiration in becoming a counselor came from the words of her high school counselor. 

Though she didn’t see her counselor often, the few words of encouragement she said gave her the assurance she needed from someone other than her parents. Though their futures here at Stagg aren’t guaranteed, the counselors work just as hard as if they were. 

“I can’t just say, ‘Well, I’m not going to be here next year, and I’m going to put on an attitude … so I won’t come in,’” said first-year counselor Bruce Nguyen, who received a pink slip from his job last year while working in another district. “We may or may not be here next year, but see? This has to be done,” he said, holding up a blue registration form.