Resolution to lay off teachers at Bedford Public Schools fails

5/11/2010
BLADE STAFF

LAMBERTVILLE — A resolution to send lay off notices to 49 Bedford Public School teachers was defeated Monday night at a special school board meeting that three of the seven board members did not attend.

School officials said the plan to give pink slips to tenured and non-tenured classroom teachers is part of the plan to cut costs and help offset a $5.1 million budget deficit projected for next school year.

Joe Gore, a trustee on the board, voted no on the layoffs while board President Shawna Smith, and trustees Kim Hooper and Ann Myers supported the resolution. The resolution failed because it would have required four affirmative votes.

“I don't agree with layoffs,” Mr. Gore, a Monroe County deputy sheriff and union member, said after the meeting.

Colleen Jan, president of the 308-member Bedford Education Association, said she expected that the board would call another meeting when more board members could attend to take another stab at the resolution.

“We are safe until they can give us three days notice and bring in the people they know they need who will vote the way they want them to vote,” she said.

Like other school districts across the county, Bedford schools is projecting cuts from the state in the per-pupil funding the states gives in revenue.