Teachers, librarians and parents urge board to avoid student-facing layoffs as superintendent warns cuts likely

Superintendent Adin Negron told the New Haven Board of Education that this year’s small state increase to the education budget will force “very tough choices,” and that the district may need to eliminate central office, teacher and support staff positions. “We will seek to decrease the scope of layoffs while prioritizing student facing jobs,” Negron said.

That warning set the tone for an extended public-comment period in which teachers, librarians, parents and students urged the board to protect classroom and student-facing roles. Speakers repeatedly identified library media specialists, arts teachers, academic coaches, paraprofessionals and after-school staff as positions that should not be cut.

“The impact of these layoffs extend far beyond the classroom,” said Theresa Purdy, a Coop High School teacher. “Larger class sizes mean less individual attention, which hinders academic progress and widens our achievement gaps.”

Jennifer Graves, vice president of the New Haven Federation of Teachers, read a union petition asking the…