North Texas
(2008-09-25)
null
>
What's been called a man-made disaster, due to incompetent accounting and over-hiring, recently revealed a $64 million deficit for last year. It could grow an additional $84 million this year unless those extra hires are let go. That's the biggest part of Superintendent Michael Hinojosa's plan.
DISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa: No one wants to do this but we have a fiduciary responsibility to right size this organization based on appropriate formulas. We can maintain momentum. This big problem won't go away if we find some paper clips to do away with. Unfortunately, that's the reality.
In this case, it's not last hired, first fired. Teacher seniority counts, but administrators say it's not as important as certification or how the teacher's performed in the classroom .
At this week's regular dinner meeting of the Alliance/AFT, Dallas's largest teachers union, the buzz focused on who would keep their jobs.
Irma Williams, teacher: It's all they're talking about. All they're talking about, their job.
Irma Williams is a special education teacher.
Irma Williams: They're stressed, don't' know what's going on, what's going to happen. All we're talking about.
Assistant teacher Theresa Martinez at Allen elementary has 27 years in the district. With nervous laughter, the single mother of three worries, like everybody else.
Theresa Martinez: I will lose my house, because I depend on money monthly. We don't get much. It's hard right now. So I'm very worried. I'm very worried right now.
Dallas School Board President Jack Lowe hates what he says the district must do, but it hired at least 650 teachers too many last year, without proper financial checks and balances. To teachers who'll be laid off, as yet un-named, he apologizes.
Jack Lowe, DISD School Board President: I'm sorry. It's impacting you and I'm sorry.
But he says layoffs are the only option. Fiscal checks are now in place, he says, to avoid the kinds of mistakes officials made last year. He gives one example of how the budget ballooned.
Lowe: If a principal requested another teacher, they would go to H.R. and H.R. would hire them. Now the budget office and H.R. are talking and saying wait a minute, does everyone agree this is a good decision?
While some teachers are now demanding Hinojosa be fired, Lowe backs the superintendent because academic achievement's improving. To Lowe, keeping Hinojosa isn't even a close call. He's the right choice and a great educator, says Lowe, but with a big financial problem.
Lowe: I'm not happy, not patting him on the back about it. But I think, all things considered, this is fixable and need to fix it and we can't lose momentum on the education side.
In addition to teacher cuts, Lowe expects more financial department personnel will go. He says it needs to be right sized and right talented. That means some people there now can't do the job and must be replaced by some who can. Today's meeting is scheduled for 3 p.m.
© Copyright 2010, KERA
