The Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education on Thursday again faced public backlash against its decision to cut 151 positions, and again district officials reiterated that the cuts, and likely more, will be required to maneuver the district through financial hardship.

During a special meeting, the board approved certification of the second interim budget report, which is required by state law to assess the district’s ability to meet its financial obligations for the remainder of the fiscal year and the subsequent two fiscal years.

Chief Business Officer Saman Bravo-Karimi reported that due to a fluke in the timing of the certification, lining up with the district receiving insurance money for fire related expenses, the district will be submitting a “positive” certification to the L.A. County Office of Education.

However, Bravo-Karimi was quick to say that the positive distinction should not be the takeaway from the meeting.

“What I want you to take away is that we have more work to do,” Bravo-Karimi said.

He said that the projections in the second interim report do not take into account changes in compensation and other factors including unknown liabilities, impact of a potential economic downturn and reductions in state or federal funding.

Expenditures due to the fire will be increasing but Bravo-Karimi said the district will be pursuing all avenues for recouping funds due to the fire including additional insurance money.

In addition, the board began the meeting by reporting out of closed session that it unanimously approved filing a lawsuit against Southern California Edison.

Last week, L.A. County, Pasadena and Sierra Madre joined the array of lawsuits filed against the utility alleging its complicity in starting the Eaton fire.

Kimberly Kenne and Tina Fredericks voted against approving the certification with Kenne making a motion, which failed, to change the status from “positive” to “qualified” in order to better reflect the position the district is in and not mislead the public.

“I’m just really hesitant about sending a message of saying positive … I’ve seen comments saying ‘well if you’re positive all the time, why are you doing cuts?’” Kenne said.

Seven speakers, including teachers who have already been notified that they will be laid off, spoke during public comment about the pain and frustration of being laid off while also dealing with the aftermath of the fire.

Sergio Lopez, a math teacher at John Muir High School and a Pasadena Unified product, said he lost his home in the Eaton fire and now, weeks later, was told he will be losing his job.

“Once I had to come to terms that my house was gone, all I had to look forward to was my classroom where all the things that I own, all that I had left that I own was in my classroom,” Lopez said. “And now that’s getting taken away from me.”

Lopez and others in the crowd, including fellow John Muir teacher Consuelo Martinez, held red signs that read “You Reduced Me!” followed by the hire year of the person. Martinez is in her second year working at her alma mater and was informed she would be laid off.

“Naively, I didn’t think my departure would come as a layoff. A packet signed by someone who’s never met me yet stating that my services are appreciated and valued,” Martinez said. “Ten years ago, I mentioned wanting to become a teacher and many warned me against it and still I committed.”

At the Feb. 27 meeting, the board approved the cutting of 151 positions in a 6-1 vote. While the public has called on the district to find another way to cut costs, officials said Thursday that barring unforeseen changes, to expect more of the same next year.

“A couple weeks ago when we came forward with those very difficult recommendations, we said they were not enough, that we would need to make more reductions in the future,” Bravo-Karimi said. “That’s still the case a couple weeks later now that we have more updated projections, unless something very material changes that we don’t know about.”

The deadline to submit cuts is March 15 and the final decision on which positions will be cut will happen by May. The process is governed by state law and collective bargaining.

Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco addressed the district’s financial situation in a message sent to the public this week. Blanco said Pasadena Unified is not alone in having to make budget cuts as several districts in the state are in the same position.

“While insurance monies from the fire have helped us attain a positive certification in the second interim report, these funds are already earmarked to pay for the cleaning and restoration of our schools,” Blanco wrote. “This is not a long-term solution.”

The Pasadena Unified Board of Education is next scheduled to meet March 27.