Superintendent Explains Lack of Notice For Potential Layoffs

While he has noted repeatedly that a cut in the school budget, particularly at the level suggested by Mayor Sebastian Giuliano, will require teacher layoffs, Superintendent Michael Frechette said that no teacher had received notice of potential layoff as required by state law.

State school law (chapter 166, section 10-151) states that non-tenured teachers may be laid off at any time for a number of reasons, including "elimination of the position to which the teacher was appointed."  Otherwise, the contract of the teacher is continued into the next school year unless notified otherwise by April 1.

Several Connecticut communities have sent layoff notices to teachers in anticipation of municipal budget cuts.  But in response to a question by Council member Deborah Kleckowski, Frechette called such notices "scare tactics," and that it was his intent to achieve a budget that would not anticipate layoffs, while admitting that the prospects of budget cuts make layoffs likely.

Chairman Ted Raczka explained further after the meeting that the Board of Education and the administration had no intent of layoffs if they can have a school budget passed without the proposed $2.4 million cut.

"We don't want the layoffs, but if we don't get the budget, those teaching positions will be eliminated and we will be forced to let those teachers go," Raczka said.  He also noted that Frechette's warning of layoffs was not a "scare tactic" but a reality.

"If we don't have the budget, we can't pay those teachers," Raczka said.  He explained that the Board was not required to notify of layoffs by April 1 because it was their intent to move forward without layoffs if they could convince the Common Council and taxpayers that cuts should not be made.

Superintendent Frechette also said, after the meeting, that if the full $2.4 million was restored to the budget that summer school programs, which have currently been eliminated, would be restored.