Philadelphia School District Lays Off More Employees
By: Tim Jimenez
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The School District of Philadelphia announced Friday that they're laying off 76 employees, this on top of the 3,700 district employees who they handed pink slips to last week.
A school district spokesman says the employees work in the central and regional administrative offices. They'll also be eliminating a number of vacant positions, bringing the total savings of this round of layoffs to $23 million.
Philadelphia Federation of Teachers President Jerry Jordan issued a statement in response to the announced layoff:
"Like every other move made by the school district recently, the latest layoffs make it clear: the budget will be balanced on the backs of school employees and the students who depend on them.
By eliminating non-instructional personnel who support our schoolchildren, these layoffs will have the biggest impact on the students who require the most in terms of support when they're in school. In a city with a large number of families living in poverty, our schools should be providing more support and resources to the children that represent the future of Philadelphia. Today's layoffs are yet another step in the wrong direction."
The last day for these employees will come at the end of the month and the beginning of July.
These cuts come as the school district faces a $304 million deficit. They're seeking $120 million in additional funding from the state and $60 million from the city.
