A group of about 60 Inglewood Unified School District employees, chanting "it's about respect" and "we want the state," massed outside the school board room Wednesday evening to protest layoffs and budget cuts.

The financially moribund district has been making major cost-cutting decisions in hopes bringing down their $20 million deficit to qualify for a private loan; barring that, they face the potential of state takeover.

Items to lay-off nine campus supervisors as well as pull $500,000 from adult education were on the agenda that evening.

Among the protesters were gardeners, maintenance workers and receptionists, as well as concerned students in the adult education program.

"It's almost like a fire sale to keep themselves out of state control," said Christopher Graeber, president of the Classified Employees at Inglewood Unified. "Somebody needs to keep the school clean and looking good."

Reach Tom Dotan Here