The ax is slated to fall on 4,500 New York City public school teachers this week.
In a May 26 letter, the United Federation of Teachers sent a doomsday memo to its members, Metro has learned, warning them that principals will receive the layoff lists as early as Thursday, unless last-minute state funds arrive.
“And on or about June 4, those staff members will receive an e-mail from the DOE stating that they may very well, pending additional funding, be laid off,” the memo warns.
Teachers, teachers’ aides, guidance counselors and secretaries are all at risk of losing their jobs. The cuts are necessary after a $500 million shortfall in state aid, said Schools Chancellor Joel Klein in a public testimony last month.
City teachers are laid off on a last-hired, first-cut basis. Last year, Mayor Michael Bloomberg threatened to cut 14,000 teachers, before additional state and stimulus money was found. But this year, the state budget, due April 1, is over two months late, leaving many to assume the worst.
“There’s a greater threat this year than ever before,” said Leonie Haimson of Class Size Matters.
