Proposed Teacher Layoffs Could Hit Local Schools Hard

The Department of Education last night issued details of how proposed teacher layoffs could affect specific schools across the city. At some District 15 schools, the news is grim.

The proposed total cuts in District 15, which covers Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill, Gowanus, Park Slope, Red Hook and Sunset Park, is 8 percent.

But some schools could see as much as 10 percent of their staff cut. could lose six teachers, or 10 percent; four teachers, or 11 percent; could lose six teachers, or 17 percent and could lose 10 teachers, or 18 percent.

But the layoffs are still up in the air. Mayor Bloomberg has said the cuts likely will have to be made because Governor Cuomo's proposed budget would not provide adequate funding for New York City schools.

Bloomberg wants to do away with the "last in, first out" policy, or "LIFO," which has been in place for decades. Whether or not these specific reforms will be made, which are based on factors like performance and disciplinary records rather than seniority, is currently being debated in the Legislature.

Jim DeVor, President of the Community Education Council, District 15 said the cuts could have a tremendous affect on school operations, adding that the LIFO policy often punishes schools that need assistance. 

"By and large the schools that need the most help will be most adversely affected, with certain exceptions," said DeVor.