Detroit teachers face layoffs, contract modifications
DETROIT -- The emergency financial manager for Detroit Public Schools put teachers on notice Thursday that he plans to use his expanded powers under a new state law to modify their contracts.
Bill Pugliano, Getty Images
John Washburn, left, and Brad Sullivan, both part of the East Detroit Public Schools, join thousands of other union members to protest proposed cuts to education in Lansing, Mich., April 13.
Bill Pugliano, Getty Images
John Washburn, left, and Brad Sullivan, both part of the East Detroit Public Schools, join thousands of other union members to protest proposed cuts to education in Lansing, Mich., April 13.
“I fully intend to use the authority that was granted,” Robert Bobb said, referring to a new law that gives emergency managers the authority to modify -- or terminate -- collective bargaining agreements. It was the first time Bobb had publicly indicated he intends to use the expanded authority.
His statement came as the district announced Thursday it is sending layoff notices to all 5,466 members of the Detroit Federation of Teachers and nonrenewal notices to 248 administrators. The school system has issued massive layoff notices before, but not to every teacher. With more than 115,000 students, Detroit’s school district is among the 25 largest in the country.
The district said it plans to issue notices to its other bargaining units by April 30.
Carla Henry, a high school special education teacher, said
she is disheartened because she believes teachers are under attack across the country.
“We’re just being walked all over, when we are the ones who help educate everyone else to get to the positions they’re in, including the emergency financial manager,” she said. “It took a teacher to educate him.”
District officials said in their news release Thursday that the layoff and non-renewal notices are a “fiscally responsible” step to trim the workforce to match the district’s declining enrollment.
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