Teachers Facing Cuts Get Hearing

i fc - i -- ■ r - a awsed session yesterday afternoon in the Pioneer High School Little Theater, School Supt. W. Scott Westerman met with the 256 probal-tionary staf f members who have been notified that their contracts will not be renewed next year and Ann Arbor Education Association (AAEA) officials. I The News was barred from L the hearing which was called I between the administration I and the AAEA to discuss a I grievance filed in behalf . of I the probationary teachers. Recommendations that the contracts not be renewed, for financial reasons, for the 256 teachers were approved by the Board of Education April 7, and the AAEA has released several statements criticizing the superintendent and the board for their actions. Out of the total number of teachers receiving termination notices, school personnel records show between 60 and [65 are black, or about 25 per cent of the 256. In a statement to the superintendent and board, the Mack School Parent Teachers Organization Executive Board said: "Out of 21 classr o o m teachers a t Mack School. 11 have been terminated and in addition five out of nine special teachers have also been terminated." "At best we criticize the cavalier method utilized in notifying the affected teachers. At worst we cannot fathom the final pursuit of options such as: reducing staff by not replacing those who leave; tough negotiations with the AAEA; and a real I effort to sell necessary I lage proposals to the I munity." According to the statement, I the Mack PTO "applauded I the increased number of I black teachers hired last year ■ in the schools. The recent! action, however, is a blatantB example of those last hired ■ are the first fired. At Mack, ■ of the 16 teachers receivingB notices, 11 are black. "Although critical of theB action taken by the board, wel recognize the extremely dif-B ficult financial straits ourl schools are in and we willi extend our efforts to support ■ the millage proposal," thei Mack PTO statement said. I In a school by school 1 down the 256 teachers! include: Abbot-5, Bach-6, 1 len-1, Angell-2, Bader-4, Burns I Park-8, Carpenter-7, Clinton-9, I Dicken - 5, Dixboro - 1, I white-2, Haisley-5, King-8, I Lakewood-4, Lawton-2, 1 11, Mitchell-2, Newport-3, 1 Northside - 15, Pattengill - 2, 1 Stone-2, Thurston-1, Wines-5, I elementary music-4, 1 tary art-6, elementary physical education-6. Jones-11, elementary librarians-11, Forsythe - 16, Scarlett - 15, Slauson - 15, Tappan-9, Huron-24, Pioneer21, and Public Librar y-2