At least 40 teachers from Stratford, including eight from each of the town’s two high schools, could be laid off, starting in January if an alternative plan to save the school district money doesn’t emerge.
The superintendent said Stratford’s town council wants the schools to cut $700,000.
Supt. Janet Robinson said she had proposed that every person in the district do two furlough days to avoid layoffs and presented it to the unions, but the teachers union said no, she said.
"I certainly don't like to ask them to have to do that. I know they already do so much for their kids, but that would be a smaller sacrifice than what's going to happen with the layoffs," Robinson said.
The teachers’ union released a statement, saying it stands firmly against “any and all actions that harm and punish students, including the superintendent’s furlough plan.”
“The plan to close Stratford Public Schools for two days before the end of the year would be harmful and disruptive to students, teachers, parents, and the community,” Stratford Education Association President Michael Fiorello said in a statement. “We are already doing more with less, and our schools can’t absorb more cuts that would result in even fewer resources, the elimination of programs for students, larger class sizes, as well as teacher layoffs and involuntary teacher transfers.”
Robinson said the layoffs will be across the district and she hates for this to happen before Christmas.
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She plans to let the people who will be affected know Friday or Monday.
