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NORWALK, Conn. – Bruce Mellion said he's been working to reduce the number of Norwalk elementary school teachers that will get a pink slip soon, with some success.
The president of the Norwalk Federation of Teachers said resignations could offset some of the need to lay off teachers. The total number of teachers will still be reduced, but much of the exodus will be voluntary.
"It does appear that we will lose probably a dozen to a dozen and a half teachers as of this date," he said. "Hopefully it will get better, but I don't have enough resignations to offset all of the cuts."
"We haven't seen anything," said Board of Education Chairperson Jack Chiaramonte. "Bruce also told me last year he'd have 10 retirements for us. He promised us 10 to save us a million and he only produced five, of which only four counted. I'll believe it when I see it."
Twenty-two elementary school teachers were expected to be cut in the reconciliation plan approved by the board of education on July 12. The board is expected to reduce the number of teacher and other staff to be laid off Tuesday night due to an influx of $365,000 in expedited Medicare payments.
Mellion said some teachers are expected to resign to go to other districts but they don't get their contracts until early August. Mellion said he sent out a generic email to teachers last week saying it looked like 15 to 18 teachers would be laid off, as the numbers just didn't add up the way he hoped they would.
"I just think it's a little optimistic to think that we're going to be able to place everyone," he said. "I just don't think it's going to happen. I was hoping, I really was, but now it looks like it's a long shot."
No one has gotten a lay-off notice yet, in order to avoid chaos, he said. When they do, their unemployment payments will be made retroactive to June 18, Mellion said.
"We're looking to get the maximum number of vacancies for elementary so we can place as many people as possible, that's the goal," Mellion said. "If we place them then we don't have to pay unemployment, which saves us more money. It's a win-win situation.
"I'm always looking to save money in spite of what Jack thinks."
Comments (23)
There will be fewer teachers staffing our schools this year and the head of the teachers union describes the current situation as "win win". Unbelieveable!
How's your recall petition going, Tim?
TROLL ALERT
Well, I know where one person went...
http://www.darienps.org/current/
TROLL ALERT
You appear to have misunderstood the definition of a troll.
You are a perfect example of a troll with your paid posts
If some teachers are going to retire anyway but not until october november december, it would be useful to let then leave now rather than them leaving a hole later on and that would diminish layoffs. there has to be a few just waiting for their time to be up. Actually I think they all should have to reapply for their jobs every year and hire on basis of performance
Bruce the Hero! I don't think so! Let me get this straight, we should be excited as Gooda said because we have teachers leaving and heading to other districts and now we ONLY have to lay off 15 or so teachers because of it?!?! Is anyone buying this crap? He had the chance to SAVE let me repeat SAVE everyone of those teachers jobs had he done what a union "leader" should do is ask his membership to VOTE on the proposed freeze and not have any layoffs! But instead he didn't and now can't spin this in his favor that says well look at all the resignations and people leaving the number is now 15..I strongly urge the membership of the NFT at your next meeting to call for a NO CONFINDENCE VOTE of Bruce. Then after that passes hold new elections a maybe elect someone that not only cares about his members having jobs but the actual children they teach.
Unfortunately, Drew, the primary goal of the union is not the students. It's protecting the teachers. So, getting someone who actually factors in the needs of the students, well, that's kind of dicey.
But you are right on the money about the fact that the union could have done something to save some of the jobs. However, it was more important to save face than jobs.
YET AGAIN TROLL ALERT
Yep, you definitely misunderstood the meaning of troll.
No You are a perfect example of a troll with your paid posts
"Mellion said he sent out a generic email to teachers last week saying it looked like 15 to 18 teachers would be laid off, as the numbers just didn't add up the way he hoped they would."
ZERO layoffs would be necessary if Mr. Mellion allowed his membership to vote on accepting a pay freeze. Yet another example of the anti-democratic nature of municipal employee unions.
Since Mr. Mellion won't allow the vote, he must not care about kids.
Once again you find it necessary to show how little you know about unions and teachers. Some are leaving for similar jobs in communities where there is a lot less drama and union-busting. You make it sound like Mellion has unlimited power. Maybe you just assume he has because other elected people we know act as if they believe they have.
As a union member myself for the last 10 years the president has the right to call for a vote by the membership should he/she feel the need. We even have to vote when unions merge together into our union because it’s the RIGHT THING TO DO! This is not about union busting or taking anything away in collective bargaining power. This is about the union president doing the right thing for his member which means SAVING JOBS and working together with the city for the sake of our children. He chose not to do anything and now wants to parade that he is some sort of hero..I am not buying the sh** he is shoveling!
Perhaps you are referring to the fact that the Teachers Union has an executive board that would also have to approve letting teachers vote on whether or not to take a pay freeze. Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't that executive board consist of senior teachers whose seniority protects them from layoffs, which itself is another absurdity brought to us by the Unions. Whatever the case, it's simply undemocratic to refuse teachers a vote on whether or not they want to help solve this budget crisis. The entire membership has voted on issues far less weighty than a pay freeze, so why don't they get a voice here?
The fact is that for far too long, municipal employee unions have been very effective at draining funds from City coffers for their own benefit. A number of elected officials actually work hard to help the Unions do this, which I find extremely offensive. Councilman David Watts is the prime example, going so far as to wear a Union T-shirt to Council meetings so that everyone can know that his priority is giving more tax money to Union members, rather than holding the line on spending.
When times are good, these games generally go unnoticed, because tax revenues rise each year and there are ample funds to pay for raises for everybody. Times have changed, but the Unions and certain elected officials are still behaving as though it's 2006. When I go to the polls next November, I will only support candidates who can demonstrate that they have fought for taxpayers interests by holding the line on wages and benefits for City employees. I don't want Norwalk to become the next Stockton CA.
Interesting spin to make this sound like a good thing, great teachers are jumping ship which will now save jobs? We should have found a way to keep them in the first place, early retirement to save jobs would be easier to swallow, this is just saying some of our best are now gone for good
This is not a Moccia problem. This is a BOE problem
No you are wrong as Moccia refuses to do a forensic audit to find the missing Millions,...So that makes it a Moccia problem..Now do you understand
Maybe you better call the state and find out from the Department of Education about the wall of separation between the Board of Education and the City. The city is only allowed to give the BOE a lump sum. The City does not have the authority to require an accounting, or any kind of paperwork on it.
Commissioner Stefan Pryor
Office of the Commissioner
165 Capitol Ave. Hartford CT 06106-1630
Executive Assistant Ann Marie Lenkiewicz (860) 713-6500
(860) 713-7001
Maybe Moccia could resign as he is useless
How's your recall petition going, Tim?