Parsippany Teacher Cutbacks Deemed Dispicable

Parsippany students who returned to class today found their teachers rearranged as the School District laid off one teacher and reduced the hours of 8 others.

The move has been characterized by the teachers as being “despicable and inhumane” according to a statement released today by the executive board of the Parsippany Education Association.

Helen Hoehne, director of personnel for the district, said on Friday that one full-time teacher lost a position, while eight others had their hours cut. Six were reduced from five days per week to two days per week, while two others were cut from five days a week to three days, she said.

The association appeared to dispute those numbers, saying that in addition to the one teacher dismissed, “nearly a dozen more” have “lost classes with a corresponding loss of income.”

“Others have been given new classes, impacting not only their lives during the school year, but also those of our students, who have spent the first month of the year developing strong relationships with their teachers,” the association said.

Is it fair to the students to let a teacher go or re-arrange their schedules during the school year? Should they have done this sooner? How different is your childs teaching staff from last year?