Norwich school board votes to lay off 71 teachers

Norwich – The Board of Education voted this afternoon to issue termination notices to 71 teachers in anticipation of major cuts to the proposed $66.2 million 2010-11 budget, which calls for a 5.9 percent spending increase.

The list of teachers was attached to the agenda. The board approved the nonrenewal notices "due to budgetary reasons" after a nearly half-hour closed-door session to discuss the termination notices.

Calling the move "detrimental" to both the school system and the city as a whole, board members expressed frustration at being told by city officials to prepare a no-increase budget for the second consecutive year.

Board member Cora Lee Boulware said she was upset that aldermen remained silent during a budget workshop last Saturday when board members explained the impact of pending cuts.

Board Chairman Charles Jaskiewicz called the cuts the worst he has seen in the city school system in 20 years.

Jaskiewicz said the City Council should allow at least enough of an increase to bear the $387,000 increase in tuition by the Norwich Free Academy.

Board member Harlan Hyde said the city is being very shortsighted in demanding two years of no-increase budgets. He said real estate Web sites include information about the education system as part of their profiles of cities and towns. Hyde said he was disappointed that the public and parents have not come out in support of the school budget at recent public meetings on the budget.

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