LORDSTOWN SCHOOLS Teachers union to challenge state panel's cutting of 5 jobs

The cuts are expected to save about $229,000.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
LORDSTOWN -- A few months after cutting several teaching and staff posts, the state commission appointed to oversee school district finances has eliminated five more positions.
The teachers union plans to challenge the move in court, contending cuts haven't been made in other areas, such as extracurricular activities.
William Wenger, commission chairman, estimated that eliminating the chief of maintenance, high school office secretary and high school language arts and health-physical education teachers and the district librarian, would save about $229,000. The exact amount isn't known because personnel with seniority may bump into positions for which they are certified.
Commission members approved the cuts unanimously and without discussion at a meeting Thursday. Cuts are effective July 1.
Questions: Patrick Pollifrone, president of the district's teachers union, the Lordstown Teachers Association, questioned why more teachers' positions were cut when there are 30 coaches and none of those programs or positions have been cut. Pollifrone also questioned the panel's having discussed the cuts in executive session.
"If you only discussed positions and not individuals, why go into executive session?" Pollifrone asked. "These are budgetary reasons and that's public information."
The union president also wonders about the elimination of the librarian position when Gov. Bob Taft has made student reading skills such a priority. If other staff members are going to fill the duties of the librarian, the union may file an unfair labor practice complaint, Pollifrone said.
Wenger pointed to similar districts used for comparison in a state performance audit of Lordstown. It shows that Lordstown's pupil-to-teacher ratio is 10.3-to-1. The state average is 18 pupils per teacher.
Per-pupil spending: Lordstown spends $11,171 per pupil. The comparison districts, including Weathersfield and McDonald, scored comparatively to Lordstown on the most recent state report card and spend much less per pupil.
"You can't afford to spend $11,000 per student," Wenger said. "Quality education can be provided to pupils for a whole lot less than $11,000 per student."
The district also has seen a 32-percent increase in insurance costs this year contributing to the need to make cuts. Closure of the Gordon D. James Career Center at the end of this school year also will add to district costs.
"I believe that it's clear you are overstaffed right now," Wenger said. "That's why we're [commission members] sitting up here. You don't pay teachers too much, you pay too many of them."
He said the administration has assured him that a plan is in place to ensure pupils maintain access to the library. Superintendent Ray Getz declined to discuss the plan, citing Pollifrone's threatened ULP action.
Referring to Pollifrone's comments about the continuation of extracurricular activities while teachers get cut, Wenger said that when the commission looks at programs to cut, everything will be considered.
"At this point, we haven't cut any programs," he said.
Pollifrone countered after the meeting that industrial arts, elementary art and library services that have been eliminated constitute programs.
dick@vindy.com