250 TPS teachers and 25 administrators may face layoff because of Issue 3 defeat

5/5/2010

At least 250 teachers and 25 administrators could lose their jobs following Tuesday's failure of an income tax levy issue, according to union officials.

The number of layoffs could increase as TPS officials and the district's three main bargaining units re-open negotiations that stalled April 1 after the Toledo Board of Education voted to remove Libbey High School from the school closure list.

Saving Libbey erased a $1.3 million savings and had the effect of nullifying several negotiated contracts, said TPS Treasurer Dan Romano.

There is some confusion, however, about the vote to save Libbey and whether it was contingent upon passage of the levy.

Board Vice President Lisa Sobecki said Wednesday that the Libbey vote stood on its own and that the board needed to stand behind its decision.

The vote was part of a final list of cuts meant to inform voters about what was at stake in the levy vote.

But school board member Brenda Hill said Tuesday night — after learning that the levy had failed — that the vote to save Libbey was only in effect if the levy passed. She predicted that Libbey would be closed, after all.

Ms. Hill was one of three board members to vote in favor of keeping the school open. She was joined in her yes vote by former Toledo mayor and school board member Jack Ford, who made the motion, and board member Larry Sykes.

Board President Bob Vasquez and Ms. Sobecki voted to keep Libbey on the closure list.