ENFIELD, Conn. (WTNH) — More than 100 Enfield Public Schools employees will lose their jobs as part of major budget cuts that also include all multi-grade athletic programs.
It's part of a plan approved by the school board Wednesday to cut $5 million from next year's budget.
“It's disheartening and frustrating,” said special education teacher Todd Couture. “People are being told they don't have jobs. They're crying and thinking, 'Am I next?' Everybody's in a situation where they have nothing on their hands.”
About 130 positions will be cut. The list includes teachers, deans, behavior technicians and central office positions. All middle school and ninth grade sports will also be cut.
“If I were to teach third grade next year, imagine what it would be like to have 28 students in my class and not have support,” teacher Amy Gazzi said.
Enfield said taxpayers can't afford a 16 percent increase in taxes over the past two years. In response, the city has provided the schools with $3.9 million this fiscal year and $1.5 million of next year's $6.5 million budget.
“This is the first time we've seen these cuts in Enfield so we don't know what to expect from this, but we're going to keep fighting and we're going to keep doing what's best for the kids in our town and that's all we can do,” said Emily Hulevich, president of the Enfield Teachers Association.
Teachers said the cuts would have a major impact.
“Our state test scores have gone up in both reading and math, our high school SAT scores have gone up in both reading, math and writing, our state science test scores have gone up,” social studies teacher Bill Delaney said. “I feel like all the work that we've put in is going to go to waste.”
The last time Enfield laid off teachers was in 2010, when 27 were let go.
