Teachers, parents protest East Orange school layoffs at council meeting
NEW YORK - Outraged parents and teachers spoke out at a council meeting in East Orange on Monday, as the city's schools continue to grapple with a massive budget shortfall that could lead to the loss of nearly 100 jobs, including teachers, by mid-December.
RELATED: East Orange NJ schools dismiss students early amid massive layoff, cuts
The East Orange School District, which serves nearly 9,500 students across 20 schools, initially announced an $8 million deficit. However, recent reports suggest the gap could be as large as $25 million, with district officials saying there is little they can do to avoid the cuts.
This news left many in the community feeling blindsided.
Gov. Murphy weighs in on East Orange school cuts
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is hinting at a state takeover of the East Orange School District after nearly 100 teachers and staff were told they would lose their jobs right before Christmas thanks to a $25 million budget shortfall. FOX 5's Michelle Ross has the story.
"We already have a failing school system, so when you eliminate positions, and you eliminate teachers, and you eliminate support staff, it's gonna cause them [students] to go further behind the mark that they already are," said one concerned parent at the meeting.
The cuts are expected to increase class sizes as students from affected classrooms will be combined with other classrooms.
Many teachers called out sick last Thursday and Friday in protest of the cuts, forcing the district to dismiss students early.
The district's superintendent has pointed to lower-than-expected state funding as a key factor in the budget crisis.
Officials warn that if the cuts aren’t made by December 15, the state could step in and take control of the district, but some parents who spoke with FOX 5 said that an intervention from the state would be an improvement.