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player ready...The Niles Township High School District 219 board approved a pair of resolutions Monday night allowing the firing of 34 first- and second-year teachers.
The 4-1 vote in favor of the resolutions came after several school board members expressed a reluctance to pass the measures, which they said were made necessary because of state laws and budgetary constraints.
The decision not to retain the teachers for the next school year outraged members of the teachers union, which went on strike for nearly two weeks last fall. Union officials said they believed the cuts were reprisals for the strike.
Board officials said some of the teachers might eventually be rehired, but state law requires school districts to inform teachers 60 days before the end of the school year whether they will be retained.
District officials said similar notices are sent out each year, but more are being sent out this year because the incoming freshman class is smaller and fewer teachers are retiring.
The 4,400-student district currently has about 315 teachers on its payroll, before the staff cuts.
“There’s no question we value the teachers, but at the same time we have to be responsible with our resources,” said district spokesman Jeff Berkwits.
At the Monday night board meeting at Niles North High School, several teachers voiced their displeasure.
“They don’t have to fire these 34 teachers,” said James Dougherty, a longtime science teacher who is not on the list. “The ill will that is going to be spread around because of this is unnecessary.”
Once the district has firmer numbers on next fall’s freshman class and retiring teachers, some of the teachers who receive the letters might be rehired, Berkwits said. He said the practice of sending termination letters is common across the state.
Frank Mayfield, president of the Niles Township Federation of Teachers, said he believes the board is being vindictive and still hasn’t gotten over the strike, during which most of the teaching staff stayed out of the classroom and the school was forced to close.
“District 219 already has a reputation among potential teachers of being a revolving door district,” said Mayfield.
But district Supt. Vickie Markavitch said, “We would not want to lose these people if we didn’t have to.”
She said the number of teachers who will receive a “reduction in forces” letter was determined by “a very scientific process.”