Pontiac schools' union members face layoffs
PONTIAC — Members of all Pontiac school district unions will be given layoff notices beginning today.
Layoffs will be effective June 30, but the district will notify by April 30 employees who will be returning to work in the fall.
The Pontiac Board of Education approved the layoff of all members of every district union at a meeting Monday night despite threats of legal action by Pam Farris, president of the Pontiac Association of School Administrators and Irma Collins, president of the Pontiac Education Association.
The drastic action was taken to provide an efficient way to call back employees, especially administrators and teachers, according to their certification and qualifications as well as seniority to a district that will be half its size in the fall under a restructuring plan. The district’s two high schools will be merged into one; the three middle schools combined at Madison Middle School; and several elementary schools will close, leaving seven in operation.
The 4-2 vote for the layoffs took place in a board room filled with mostly union employees and followed a report by Deputy Superintendent of Finance Felix Chow on the district’s dire financial condition. Vice President Gill Garrett and Trustee Robert Bass voted against the move, preferring a different process.
Chow said the district has lost 3,400 students in five years and enrollment is projected to drop by several hundred more in the 2009-2010 school year.
The district loses about $8,000 with each child. The board approved an amendment to the 2008-2009 budget to show a deficit of nearly $12 million by the end of June. Chow said spending is currently $16 million in deficit and he is in the difficult process of trying to get more than $20 million to provide cash flow to cover payroll and bills.
Detroit Free Press
Hundreds of Pontiac school employees to be laid off
Some to get callback; aim is to trim deficit
BY KORIE WILKINS • FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER • March 10, 2009
Pink slips will go out to more than 700 union employees in the Pontiac School District in the coming weeks after the Board of Education approved massive layoffs Monday night in hopes of trimming a projected $11.6-million deficit.
The move, considered unprecedented by some education officials, will affect employees including teachers, support staff and administrators.
District officials say they will have a plan by April 30 on how many staffers will be recalled for jobs in the 2009-10 school year. For those who don't receive callbacks, the layoffs take effect June 30.
"It's not right," said teaching assistant Sheila Williams, who has been with the district for 12 years. "It's a shame. I might not have a future."
The district has been working since October on a massive restructuring that also calls for closing eight schools in the 2009-10 school year, including combining Central and Northern high schools.
It's unknown how much money will be saved and how district officials will decide who gets a callback.
"The financial condition of this district should not be a surprise to anyone," said Interim Superintendent Linda Paramore. "We have difficult decisions to make."
About 50 people were at the Monday's meeting; only a handful spoke. "To lay off all the employees is just stupid," said resident Billie Swazer. "It creates a feeling of chaos. A blanket layoff is not acceptable to the citizens, and I'm not sure why there are not more of us up here."
Doug Pratt, director of communications for the Michigan Education Association, said Monday night that the MEA will monitor the layoffs to make sure the district follows union contracts and acts in the best interest of students.
He said layoffs like this are unprecedented: "It's unfortunate that they chose to take such drastic action."
District officials said the cuts are necessary because the district has been losing students. It has 7,200 students and space for 20,000.
Felix Chow, interim deputy superintendent of business and auxiliary support services, said revenues aren't keeping pace with expenses.
"If we don't act, we could end up like other governmental entities that give up any options," said Board Trustee Christopher Northcross.
Pamela Farris, president of the Pontiac Association of School Administrators, said the union will file grievances and may take legal action.
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