Teachers' Union To Fight Job Cuts

The Ann Arbor Education Association said today it "will attempt to force" the Board of Education to rescind its decisión to terminate the employment of 256 probationary teachers at the close of this school year. Any action taken by the AAVEA will be based on the board's contractural obligation to follow specific procedures for the reduction of staff in the event of substantial decrease in revenue or in pupil membership, according to James Scheu, executive director of the AAEA. School Supt. W. Scott Westerman Jr. vas criticized by Albert Chaffee, president of the AAEA, for "using distortion, misrepresentation and half-truths designed to mislead the board and panic the community." Chaffee said, "If the superintendent's esümates are correct, there should be 21,453 students enrolled next year, not 20,608 as he stated; that the predicted loss by attrition of 80 teachers should save the board more than $1,000,000 if thcy are not replaced; and that the millage renewal passed in February and touted by the administration as needed to preserve the program should yield an a dditional $1,400,000." According to Chaffee, on the basis of what is presently known about all sources of reverme, the board should experience a net gain of $1,200,000. Particular concern over the impact of the reduction on the percentage of black staff was also expressed by Chaffee. "Since the largest number of black teachers are probationary," he said, "the ill-considered action of the board flies in the face of its own adopted poli-' cy encouraging the employment of minority groups as set forth in the 'Humaneness in Education' statement." Chaffee also emphasized the absence of proposals for reduction in non-teaching and administrative areas and cited the proposed administration budget which calis for an additional expenditure of $207,000 for "improvement in these areas." "I am alarmed at the possible impact of the superintendent's statements and the board's action on the contemplated June millage election," the AAEA executive director said. The Ann Arbor school community has never reacted well to "scare tactics," Scheu said, but has rarely failed to support the schools when a reasonable, est and clearly demonstratea neea wdï. shown to exist. The action by the board, says Scheu, is an unjustifiable attempt to frighten the community and to intimídate all school employés. In response to the AAEA statements, School Supt. Westerman said, "Chaffee does not have the most recent data con-j r cerning our financial prospects for tEel coming school year. He has a standing invitation to all board discussions concerning this budget and his absence from two key meetings on this subject f may account for his misunderstanding. "I look forward to an opportunity to pro vide him with the correct data," Westerman said. _ -j