except d,j &k went to school in the subarbs. thanks for playing, please try again =P
On Mon, 5 Apr 2004, Katrin Richter wrote: > I guess this is on topic as school was the only place to hook up for > Derrick, Kevin and Juan as there was nowhere else to go > > Detroit schools to cut 3,200 jobs > By Jerry Isaacs > 3 April 2004 > Use this version to print | Send this link by email | Email the author > Detroit Public Schools officials announced Thursday the district would lay > off 3,200 school employees, including 900 teachers, by July 1. The job cuts, > which amount to 13 percent of the workforce, are in response to a budget > shortfall of $78 million last year and a projected deficit of $91 million in > 2005, officials say. > The cuts in the $1.5 billion budget follow an announcement last month that > an additional 450 administrators could lose their jobs. The district, which > already faces chronic overcrowding in the classrooms, also plans to shut at > least three schools, in addition to the 16 closed or consolidated last year. > The budget for supplies and purchased services will be cut by more than > one-third to save $50 million, with funding for playground improvements > slashed from $1 million to $250,000. > The layoffs will wreak havoc, particularly for teachers who are already > short-handed and stretched to the limit. "You could see a gym teacher who is > certified in kindergarten through six grade become a homeroom teacher, or an > instrumental teacher might have to go back to the classroom," district > spokesman Mario Morrow said. > Kenneth Burnley, CEO of the Detroit Public Schools, said he also plans to > renegotiate the district's contract with the Detroit Federation of Teachers > in order reduce or eliminate 3-4 percent annual raises that teachers are > due. > The 151,000-student school district-the largest in the state-has been hit > hard by federal and state budget cuts, the ongoing loss of manufacturing > jobs and tax revenue in Michigan, rising fuel costs and a decline in > enrollment. Over the last eight years nearly 30,000 students have > transferred to charter, private and suburban schools. Ninety percent of the > remaining students are African-American, with more than 7 out of 10 students > coming from families living below the official poverty level. > Facing a $1 billion state deficit, Michigan's Democratic governor Jennifer > Granholm and the state legislature are cutting per-pupil grants for K-12 > education by $55 per student and revising the formula for counting pupils in > schools, in order to slash another $43 million from state spending for > schools. In the proposed state budget, Detroit could also lose another $15 > million it has been receiving since the state took over the district in > 1999. On Wednesday the state senate also rejected a plan that would have > given extra money to districts with declining enrollments. > Because of stagnating or falling revenue school districts throughout > Michigan are facing budget cuts and layoffs. According to Tom White, > executive director of the Michigan School Business officials, 90 percent of > state districts are planning to lay off staff or not fill open positions. > "It's like getting squeezed by a python," he said, the "pressure just is > increasing as time goes by. It is going to get ugly and I don't hear a great > deal of concern being raised in [the state capital] Lansing." > Like other districts nationwide, Detroit schools are also threatened by the > provisions of the Bush administration's 2001 federal education plan, the > so-called No Child Left Behind Act, which removes federal funds if districts > fail to achieve specific academic goals. One quarter of the district's > schools have already been warned they must overhaul their operations because > of "chronic failure." The school district received a federal reading grant > of nearly $6.5 million in August but continued funding hinges on > 1st-through-8th and 10th-graders passing tests at the end of the school > year. The budget cutbacks announced Thursday all but ensure future failures, > guaranteeing even more devastating budget cuts. > "We don't need any more cuts," said Mary, a longtime Detroit school bus > driver. "What is going to happen to the kids with special needs, the > disabled and impaired students? We heard they plan to take away the bus > attendants that help us in the busses with handicapped students. This is > outrageous. > "The conditions are already unbearable in the schools. Buildings are falling > apart, there is no toilet paper or soap in the bathrooms, the classrooms are > overcrowded and the teachers are spending money out of their own pockets for > supplies. These budget cuts are taking the future away from our kids. With > the casinos downtown making millions and CEOs are raking it in how can they > say there is no money for schools? > "You know the economy is way down when you start taking away from schools > that are already hurting. How can you talk about 'No Child Left Behind' when > you are laying off teachers?" > See Also: > Detroit school employees march against layoffs > [22 February 2002] > Detroit school restructuring plan attacks workers and students > [17 April 2001] > http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/apr2004/detr-a03.shtml > > > >
