kepdawg
10-25-2008, 04:21 PM
DISD seeks teachers a week after layoffs
10:48 AM CDT on Saturday, October 25, 2008
By TAWNELL D. HOBBS / The Dallas Morning News
thobbs@dallasnews.com
The Dallas school district is trying to fill about 60 teaching positions – about a week after laying off hundreds of teachers.
The job offerings posted Friday on the district's Web site run the gamut, from elementary school teaching spots to hard-to-fill positions like bilingual and math teachers.
News of the openings shocked some teachers who lost their jobs.
"I can't believe it," said Philip Fiero, a father of four who was laid off last week from his job as a second-grade teacher at Larry G. Smith Elementary School. "This is ridiculous. They should be calling me."
DISD spokesman Jon Dahlander said the open positions are, in large part, because the district extended the period that employees could retire or resign voluntarily, and more left than expected. The employees had until Oct. 20 to opt to leave. He said it was too late at that point to affect layoffs, which occurred Oct. 16.
"At that point, they'd already signed the settlement agreements," he said of teachers who were let go.
The Dallas Independent School District laid off about 630 employees – 375 of them teachers – in the last few weeks to help deal with a budget deficit that was expected to reach $84 million this fiscal year. About 320 employees also retired or resigned voluntarily.
Trustee Lew Blackburn said he couldn't believe that the district was advertising jobs without first informing laid-off employees.
"In a way, it's a total disrespect for the people that worked here," Dr. Blackburn said. "They ought to only open the jobs up to people we laid off."
Mr. Dahlander said that he imagines that the employees who were released would get preferential treatment for the jobs. He said that any of the recently released teachers can apply for the vacancies, but they would need to void their settlement agreement with the district to reinstate their contracts.
Rena Honea, second vice president of the Alliance-AFT teachers association, said she was shocked when the job postings went up on the district's Web site Friday.
"It's embarrassing that there is even one job available," she said. "It's absolutely appalling that they would have that many to fill."
LINK (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/102508dnmetdisdteachers.4a80b4f.html)
10:48 AM CDT on Saturday, October 25, 2008
By TAWNELL D. HOBBS / The Dallas Morning News
thobbs@dallasnews.com
The Dallas school district is trying to fill about 60 teaching positions – about a week after laying off hundreds of teachers.
The job offerings posted Friday on the district's Web site run the gamut, from elementary school teaching spots to hard-to-fill positions like bilingual and math teachers.
News of the openings shocked some teachers who lost their jobs.
"I can't believe it," said Philip Fiero, a father of four who was laid off last week from his job as a second-grade teacher at Larry G. Smith Elementary School. "This is ridiculous. They should be calling me."
DISD spokesman Jon Dahlander said the open positions are, in large part, because the district extended the period that employees could retire or resign voluntarily, and more left than expected. The employees had until Oct. 20 to opt to leave. He said it was too late at that point to affect layoffs, which occurred Oct. 16.
"At that point, they'd already signed the settlement agreements," he said of teachers who were let go.
The Dallas Independent School District laid off about 630 employees – 375 of them teachers – in the last few weeks to help deal with a budget deficit that was expected to reach $84 million this fiscal year. About 320 employees also retired or resigned voluntarily.
Trustee Lew Blackburn said he couldn't believe that the district was advertising jobs without first informing laid-off employees.
"In a way, it's a total disrespect for the people that worked here," Dr. Blackburn said. "They ought to only open the jobs up to people we laid off."
Mr. Dahlander said that he imagines that the employees who were released would get preferential treatment for the jobs. He said that any of the recently released teachers can apply for the vacancies, but they would need to void their settlement agreement with the district to reinstate their contracts.
Rena Honea, second vice president of the Alliance-AFT teachers association, said she was shocked when the job postings went up on the district's Web site Friday.
"It's embarrassing that there is even one job available," she said. "It's absolutely appalling that they would have that many to fill."
LINK (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/102508dnmetdisdteachers.4a80b4f.html)