When Bellflower Unified resumes school on Sept. 4, one group of staff members are not returning — the district’s bus drivers.

This summer, district officials issued layoff notices to all 10 drivers, informing them that Thursday will be their last day.

Associate Superintendent Marcy Delgado could not be reached for comment this week, but cited “lack of work and/or funds” as the reason for the layoffs.

The layoffs have been questioned by the drivers and the of the California School Employees Association Chapter 32, the union that represents Bellflower school support staff. Bellflower Unified will replace the district’s drivers with drivers contracted out from Hemet Unified School District.

A statement provided to the Press-Telegram by Bellflower Unified board president Debbie Cuadros said that the district has entered into a joint service agreement with Hemet Unified to provide transportation to Bellflower students. The district said that the joint service agreement with Hemet Unified will reduce operational costs while providing students with better services, such as field trips and improved transportation to and from schools.

“Hemet Unified School District will be using our facility as a transportation base, while our mechanics will provide services to our buses being used to transport BUSD students,” the statement said. “Hemet Unified classified employees will be the bus drivers to provide all of our transportation needs and required services.”

Diane St. Clair, president of CSEA Chapter 32, said that she’s unclear how using Hemet drivers will save the district money. She said that the district has not responded to her requests to provide documentation about the cost savings of replacing Bellflower Unified’s bus drivers with those from another district.

St. Clair also accused BUSD of violating Section 45103.1 of the California Education Code, which prohibits school districts from contracting out work to save money if such an arrangement will result in the displacement or layoffs of district employees.

“We are going to file a suit under the Unfair Labor Practices Act to the Public Employment Relations Board,” St. Clair said.

St. Clair added that district officials accused the bus drivers of such rule violations as calling in sick too frequently and padding the amount of time they were out on the road. Rather than disciplining those offenders, however, Bellflower Unified decided to lay off all 10 bus drivers, according to St. Clair.

She said that she’s asked district officials for documentation of such behavior but has yet to receive any.

Everardo Quiroz, a Bellflower Unified bus driver for 13 years, said he resents allegations that he and his colleagues have engaged in misconduct. He said that he’s particularly concerned about losing Bellflower Unified’s health insurance that covers his children — a teenager, a college student and a recent college graduate.

“I’m very angry that I’ve been looked at as a number, not as a professional driver,” Quiroz said. “Honestly, it makes me sick.”

Contact Nadra Nittle at 562-499-1291.