BREAKING: Over 100 Lakewood School District staff members laid off

Despite the Board of Education’s objections, over 100 staff members from the Lakewood School District were laid off this evening.

This layoffs come amid the rejection of the budget – which was not brought to the table for a vote, as earlier reported.

The Board Unanimously rejected the layoffs, but it was overridden by the State Monitor.

A Board official tells TLS all staff members who received the RICE notice were laid off. Contracts, as of now, will not be renewed for next year.

The State Monitor added that he’s in constant contact with the State in regards to the loan, in hopes of somewhat balancing the budget – which stands at approximately $15 million in the red.

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28 COMMENTS

  1. I don’t understand how this happened. In the beginning of the fiscal year, they figure out how much they need. The budget is passed and is supposed to be funded, mostly, by our insane property taxes.Fine. Now what happened ? Did the budget increase in middle of a fiscal year ?! They laid off teachers today ? Who’s teaching their students tomorrow ??!!! It’s nutso. I’m sorry.

  2. Well, i guess chaos in lakewood in upon us from this day forward… i understand that the board wanted to keep the teachers and keep everything in line, BUT THE STATE MONITOR IS ABSOLUTELY SELFISH!!! Taking away these teachers means that they will have no income to provide for themselves and their families, activities wouldn’t a chance for these kids and they would have to find somewhere else to find new jobs. The state monitor does not realize the damage that will be done after he strips these teachers from their jobs. These teachers are working to help these children, never to fill up space because every bit of help is needed. These teachers need to work for the Lakewood schools because it might be the last thing they will ever have and I can’t believe the lack of sympathy the state monitor has for comminting these firings, I’m dumbfounded …and this set of words are only on the teachers’ behalf

    The students needs these teachers because they need opportunities to show them what they’re made of. We got students that are in high school and they still don’t know what they want to be when they get older. They need these open doors so they can actually plan out their lives, find what they like and eventually make a living off of that interest. Instead, the state wants to strip those opportunities away from the students and those students as well as the many generations ahead will remain voiceless…hidden talents that are waiting to be heard but they dont know how to come out… all because of lack of opportunities. If the state takes away opportunities, the state also takes away dreams. If dreams are taken away, then that individual will lose their purpose of even living on this earth. The lack of opportunities would give the students no other choice but to keep voices hidden within the shadows and enjoying school would eventually not be a thing anymore. School should not only teach subjects like science and math, but also teach these kids that there are a lot of open doors ahead and this is why we need these teachers…. to help build them up for these open doors… if these teachers are gone, then who will?

    My point is that the state wants to do these actions, but they dont have the heart to think about the many events and consequences that are tied in those actions. The state is doing a horrible job at making these decisions. These teachers are irreplaceable, THE STATE CANNOT FIRE THESE TEACHERS AND EXPECT THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS DEAL WITH THE REST IN A STABLE MANNER!!! A lot of chaos will occur behind the walls of these public schools, as classrooms won’t be as organized as they used to be and the firing of the teachers will also mean banishing so many opportunities. That in itself will also mean that the students’ education and interests will begin to crumble. The state monitor is an extremely biased authority who shouldn’t have this kind of power over the town of Lakewood, we didn’t hold the board meeting for nothing. It should be up to the power of the people within the town.

  3. If the monitor wasn’t there the deficit would two or three times larger!

    Changes to expenditures need to change.

  4. “The State Monitor added that he’s in constant contact with the State in regards to the loan”

    Can someone please explain to me how the state monitor, or the state, can force Lakewood Taxpayers to take a loan. Who will be responsible to pay this loan?

    It is time for the State to stop discriminating against the Lakewood Taxpayers and children.

  5. Stop the nonsense of the loan.
    Why is he working on the loan?
    If there is no money, then let them not teach until the state gives the proper funding. A loan is worthless.

  6. Wondering if this is all a show in order to get the state to kick in. I agree with the above poster that in august they will probably be rehired

  7. My intention is absolutely not to stir up anti illegals sentiment, but wouldn’t it make sense to tax all the parents in the school district who are illegal and not paying taxes, yet are sending their children to school and beniffiting from the system!? By all means, let them stay and benefit from our education system, but when the school district is broke and teachers are being laid off and the Lakewood taxpayers can not afford to pay another dime as taxes are ridiculously high as it is, why can’t we just stop ignoring the elephant in the room and tax each family which benefits from the system without contributing a red cent? We all know for a fact that there are MANY who attend the Lakewood public schools who are in this situation….

    • Because according to the law citizens pay taxes. Illegal residents are not supposed to be hear. There is no funding agenda in place to pay for their services.

    • wrong! we give our taxes to the State and they are supposed to provide for our public schools.

      The taking they are great at, but when it comes to giving us our fair share – they send us monitors.

  8. to #13 Wow- anyone who lives in lakewood is entitled to an education. If you are renting your landlord pays school taxes. With your line of reasoning only homeowners would be allowed to attend school.
    The state monitor could only reject the posturing of the board. There is no money. The board just didn’t want to be responsible for the firings, they knew the monitor would reverse their decision. They created this problem they need to fix it.

  9. Ignorant comments about illegals! They pay school tax when they rent homes! The rent covers the landlords property tax which includes school tax!

  10. So sad to hear, it’s horrible especially to those teachers who give 110% all the time and inspire their students to keep moving forward.

    Just to name a few teachers who I’ve had the honor to educate me with abbreviated names due to my uncertainty of their positions but just a few

    Mr. S. Peac.
    Mrs. G. Leho.
    Mrs. A. Rudd

  11. I believe the problem starts with the voters who are so uninformed that you have people making comments here thinking that the layoffs are effective immediately.

  12. Enough is enough!!!

    Like it or not -ALL kids have a right to an education .

    Like it or not that includes “illegals ” as u refer to them

    Trump or no Trump

  13. My pregnant friend was just “riffed” (laid off) from her job as a Lakewood teacher. I feel HORRIBLE for all 145+ teachers that were let go, but I feel even worse for the children. Imagine yourself or your kids being in classes of 50+.. and then they have no sports or after school activities to look forward to?! How does this make sense? The whole school district will be in a complete state of chaos. They need their motivators and teachers to help guide them. I hope something happens quickly!

    • I feel bad for them, but feel bad for the local tax payers as well. The State is laughing as we fight each other while they withhold the required state aid

Comments are closed.