TheBoston School Committee unanimously approved a $1.7 billion budget for thenext school year that will cut 300 to 400 positions to address growing financial pressures and declining enrollment.
“Cutting these positions is a nasty slap in the face to educators,” said Cheryl Buckman,a South Boston parent of a seventh grader at Ruth Batson Academy.
…
The budget, approved in a 7-0 vote ,represents a 4.5 percent boost, or $74 million, over the current year. However, the increase is not enough to maintain the current level of staffing, Superintendent Mary Skipper said.
‘The spending plan would cut 200 teaching positions, 100 classroom aides, and other support staff and administrative jobs. This would mark the second time in three years that the district cuts to its workforce.
“Cutting student services is not the answer,” said Erik Berg, President of the Boston Teachers Union.
Berg fears that the cuts would undercut the progress made by city schools, which recently announced its high school graduation rates had reached an all-time high this year.
“Right now is not the time to stop investing in the educators and other support staff that make that progress possible,” Berg said.’