LEXINGTON, MASS. (WHDH) - Teachers, parents, and students in Lexington protested Monday as budget concerns threaten dozens of potential layoffs for educators.
The school district announced about 60 full-time positions will be eliminated in the next fiscal year, and 160 educators received pink slips to notify them about the upcoming reductions.
Digital learning coach Howard Wolke said the district is eliminating his entire department.
“I’m teaching lessons on digital citizenship, I’m teaching lessons [on] artificial intelligence, I’m [using] VR with the kids,” Woke said, a Diamond Middle School Learning Coach. “I’m showing kids having websites and green screen videos and all these different things that really are skills that they’re going to need for the future.”
People in the community are now arguing that there was not enough transparency or forewarning about the magnitude of the cuts, and are bringing up the fact that the town just approved the building of a new high school that is expected to cost more than $600 million.
The district said there is roughly a $4 million funding gap that needs to be closed in order to gain solid footing. It said enrollment is down and costs have increased, which is why it believes the cuts are necessary.
Town officials are expected to vote on the town budget for the next fiscal year at a later date.
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