As kids, we associated back to school with a fresh start -- a new classroom, new teachers, new books and school supplies and maybe even a snazzy new outfit your Mom helped you pick out.

From the opposite end of the spectrum, the 2009 school year holds much different implications for public school staff employees in Los Angeles. LA and many other districts in CA and across the U.S. are dealing with searing budget cuts, furlough days, crowded classrooms and worst of all, layoffs.

In an LA Sentinel op-ed, SEIU Local 99's Executive Director Bill Lloyd considers the predicament of Bell High School night custodian Theresa Aguilar, who is facing a situation all too familiar to the thousand custodial, cafeteria, playground, and other essential classified positions were cut over the summer.

Every night, Theresa is responsible for cleaning the girls' locker room (including showers, restrooms, and the coach's office), the School Gymnasium (sweeping, light mopping, and restrooms), the boys' varsity field house (including the football players' locker room and restrooms), the faculty restrooms, the photo lab and graphic arts classroom, and the Assistant Principal's office.

The state budget cuts to education forced the Los Angeles Unified School District to lay off three of Theresa's co-workers in June. As a result, she now has eight additional classrooms and another small gymnasium added to her nightly workload. Among other things, she worries about being able to adequately sanitize all the surfaces to protect students and faculty from the Swine Flu.

Like many, Lloyd feels that that any furlough cost savings are a Band-Aid solution to a much larger problem. His point is this: California has been underfunding its schools for decades. With an education system that was once the envy of the country 30 years ago, they now rank 47th in per-pupil spending compared to other states--and furlough days are not going to be able to stop the elimination of student services and programs. Lloyd writes:

"We already know quality will be diminished...With fewer cafeteria workers at schools, fresh food prepared on-site won't be readily available. And, with most custodians handed workloads like Teresa's and directives from the District to only clean classrooms once a week, you can bet hallways won't be mopped daily, classrooms won't be dusted as often (parents, please keep an eye on your asthmatic children), and bathrooms won't be monitored as closely."

But the biggest problem in Lloyd's mind? This "slow-motion" school bus wreck has not ignited nearly enough collective alarm to lead to significant action to work towards investing more in their children's education. School workers and the District are working together to prevent more cuts.

To learn more about how you can help work to ensure that all children in need have access to hot meals, and how we can increase the federal reimbursement rate, click here. Sign this petition to support stronger standards in your workplace: http://action.seiu.org/page/s/cqsstandards.