The city will lay off nearly 800 low-paid school support staff on Friday to help close a $35 million budget gap. School aides, parent coordinators and other workers got their pink slips on Sept. 22. Pending negotiations this week between their union, District Council 37, and the Department of Education, Oct. 7 will be their last day.  

A DC 37 representative said 701 school aides, health aides, family workers in shelters and 87 high school parent coordinators will lose their jobs. These workers monitor the cafeteria and hallways, help kids on and off the bus, and take sick kids to the nurse, and generally "alleviate the daily needs of teachers so they can focus on teaching," a DC 37 rep told us.

 

A disproportionate number of the nearly 350 schools affected by the layoffs serve low-income students, according to The New York Times, whereas at schools with more middle class families,parents often raise extra funds to pay for assistants.

The DOE said that, when faced with cuts this summer, principals chose to trim their budgets by laying off school aides and other support staff instead of teachers. Is this the best way to save money?

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