110 Gary teachers and staff face layoffs

GARY -- The Gary School Board voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to lay off 110 teachers and support staff, reversing its decision at its last meeting to reject a reduction in force, or RIF, proposal put forth by school administrators.

Board members and administrators agreed teachers and support staff, such as social workers and school workers, would have to be cut due to declining student enrollment and school closures.

Reducing staff has become a yearly activity for the schools, as fewer students have meant fewer state and federal dollars for public education in Gary.

The board and administration left open the possibility that some teachers would be called back after annual federal Title I funds come in and possible cuts at its central office, but it was little consolation for several now unemployed teachers and social workers at the Tuesday meeting.

"I'm disappointed at the board and administration," said Alicia Riley, a social worker at Dunbar-Pulaski Middle School. "I think there's probably so much waste and excessive positions in the administration.

"They don't seem to care about the kids."

State law required the district to notify teachers that would be cut within a certain time frame, pushing the board to change its position from its last meeting.

"In spite of a number of concerns I have about the process of reductions in force, and the fact that some people will come back ... we must at this time now deal with this RIF," said a somber Barbara Leek, who made the motion to rescind the 4-3 decision at its last meeting.

With that move, the board was free to approve cuts suggested by administrators. They included 21 non-permanent teachers and staff, or those who have three years or less, and 89 semi-permanent and permanent teachers and staff.

Jesse Morris alone voted against cutting the semi-permanent and permanent teachers, saying the administration needs to look at its own personnel before cutting "those in the trenches" dealing daily with students.

"Why did it have to be done," Morris asked about the 89 cuts after the meeting, though he voted for dismissing the non-permanent teachers. "Is it to save money? We could look for other ways to make cuts besides licensed teachers."

At the last board meeting, Michael Scott was the administration's most vocal critic on the RIF proposal, demanding deeper cuts at the administration level before the board approved cuts at the school level.

Scott, whose said his daughter became a Gary school teacher against his wishes, was not at Tuesday's meeting.

Marion Williams said there could be layoffs at the central office "freeing up dollars related to non-teaching positions to bring staff members at the school buildings back."

Interim Superintendent Myrtle Campbell said her administration will work with board members on identifying more personnel changes, but she declined to offer specifics.

"We certainly have to look at our enrollment," she said.