DETROIT SENDING ALL TEACHERS PINK SLIPS, PLANS TO MODIFY CONTRACT

 

By Lori Higgins and Chastity Pratt Dawsey, Detroit Free Press (MCT) from EdWeek | http://bit.ly/fG8I3w

Published Online: April 15, 2011 - In an announcement that marks a new day in the fiscal crisis in Detroit Public Schools, Robert Bobb, the district's emergency manager, says the district is sending layoff notices to all 5,466 teachers and plans to use new legal powers to modify their contract.

It's the first time the district has sent laid off notices to every member of the Detroit Federation of Teachers and the first time their contract has been in danger of termination. The DFT is already poised to fight.

"If he tries to modify the contract and backdoor us on the issue of seniority, we are aptly prepared," said DFT President Keith Johnson, who will also receive a layoff notice. "We have already prepared our legal counter."

During the last contract negotiation in 2009, Bobb wanted the union to give up the seniority hiring process so that administrators could hire or fire teachers regardless of experience. The union balked, but agreed to $90 million in concessions including each teacher loaning the district $10,000.

In addition to the 5,466 DFT members, the district said Thursday it is also sending non-renewal notices to 248 administrators.

New rules governing emergency financial managers allow Bobb to modify or terminate existing collective bargaining agreements. But he must wait 60 days, or until May 17.

"I fully intend to use the authority that was granted ..." Bobb said in a press release Thursday.

But the layoff and non-renewal notices don't mean all of these employees will lose their jobs. Last year at this time, the district sent 2,000 layoff notices to teachers but by August had rescinded many of the notices. This year's layoff notices are effective July 29.

A release from the district says officials are taking a "fiscally responsible" step to trim its workforce to match the district's declining enrollment.

The release says "the timeliness of the process allows for ample preparation so that the district can assess staffing needs to create a smooth transition for the start of the school year and ensure all teachers and staff will be in place on the first day so that teaching and learning can begin immediately for students."