West Bloomfield residents upset at teacher layoffs
West Bloomfield residents upset at teacher layoffs
Students and parents turned out to a West Bloomfield Board of Education meeting to express their thoughts on the district’s decision to lay off 84teachers.
Principals informed teachers late last week of the coming layoffs and written notices were mailed Tuesday, said Joey Spano, district spokeswoman.
The layoffs are expected to save the district $1.5 million, officials said.
Thirty-one teachers will be laid off from West Bloomfield High School. The remaining 53 will come from middle and elementary schools. The district employs 450 teachers.
“These decisions are difficult and sadden us greatly, but are necessary to run a solvent organization,” said JoAnn Andrees, district superintendent.
“To that end, over the coming months we will also be engaged in negotiations with five of our other bargaining units, as well. We also intend to engage the community, particularly since there are other considerations for budget reductions, including walking distances and much more,” Andrees said.
The district is legally required to adopt a balanced budget for next year by June 30.
Nearly 50 students spoke during the meeting this week, telling heartfelt stories about the caring, passion and excellence of their teachers and how they have impacted their lives.
“I would not be where I am today if it weren’t for these teachers,” said Devon Weinman.
Weinman graduated from West Bloomfield High School last year and is now attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where he has completed the first year of a graduate program. According to Weinman, the university has the top aviation and aeronautical program in the country.
Referring to the teachers, Weinman said, “They are family to me.”
In addition to cutting teachers, the district will also eliminate block scheduling and will return to a seven-period day.
According to school officials, block scheduling allows for classes to meet three times a week for an hour-and-a-half rather than everyday.
“This is very labor intensive and requires more teachers,” said Jeffrey Stewart, the school board’s president.
Students noted that block scheduling allows for them to be successful managing a rigorous academic curriculum.
“You cannot maintain all these classes and maintain sleep,” said Rachelle Abraham, a West Bloomfield High School junior who takes several Advanced Placement classes and is on the college bound tract and participates in extracurricular activities.
“I think extracurricular activities are just as important as academics. Colleges look for participation in these activities,” said Norman LoPatin, a West Bloomfield Township parent.
“The block scheduling allows time for students to participate in these activities and mirrors the scheduling they will have in college.”
Andrees said, “West Bloomfield had quality education before block scheduling and will continue to have quality education.” Some found the timing of the layoffs ironic. At the meeting, 18 teachers were awarded tenure,$45,000 worth of grants were given to teachers for special class room projects and last week a $24 million technology and repairs bond was passed. Bonds are only earmarked for specific things such as technology and repairs and cannot be used for operations.
Many of the teachers who were awarded tenure, grants and worked to get the bond passed were among those slated to be laid off.
LoPatin described the board’s behavior as “schizophrenic.”
He said, “In one moment you are giving these teachers tenure, and in the next you are giving them pink slips.”
According to Stewart, the teachers were deserving of tenure and should receive it.
If the layoffs did not take place now, they could not occur until next January, which would cause the district a $1.5 million deficit, said Stewart.
Many of the teachers were surprised by the layoffs but did not want to be identified.
According to Spano, after Proposal A passed in 1993, Michigan school districts were no longer funded primarily by property taxes but through sales and income taxes. As sales and income taxes decreased, so have the schools’ foundation allowance, which contributes to the school district’s operating fund and is the pool of money from which teachers’ salaries are paid.
If residents want to change how schools are funded, “they should contact their legislators,” Spano said.
http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2009/05/14/news/local_news/doc4a0bdd4f3da5f156832835.txt
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