Hiring freeze on teachers in place for Wake schools

Raleigh, N.C. — Wake County schools' superintendent has imposed a hiring freeze on teachers in grades 6 through 12.

In a blog posted on the school system's Web site, Del Burns cites state budget cuts and the continuing resolution approved to keep the government running without a budget in place. The fiscal year ends Tuesday.

"We cannot spend funds now, that we would have to cut later, thus making a bad situation worse," he wrote. "To that end, we are continuing to be as proactive as possible."

In addition, all vacant teaching assistant positions are also frozen, and a ban on out-of-state travel is also in place.

Public education is taking a hit from because of lower-than-projected state revenue, and Gov. Bev Perdue, in recent weeks has called on lawmakers to generate $1 billion in revenue next fiscal year to help preserve education.

Still, the cuts will likely mean larger class sizes and educators' jobs lost. The school system has said many of the teachers whose contracts expire at the end of the year will not return.

The school board also recently approved a plan to phase out more than three dozen jobs tied to construction projects.

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Latest Comments

"Exactly, I see the lottery as a 'stupid tax' as well." ~ambicat

At worst, that's true, but even then, I don't really mind. The "stupid" are the people whose kids come to school the least prepared and whose kids have the least respect for school modeled for them at home. If even 1 cent from the price of a lottery ticket eventually works its way into the right place in the schools, the stupid person who bought it has just contributed positively to the schools for the first time ever.

jackflash123
July 2, 2009 9:23 a.m.

"I am tired of the school system taking more money every year and saying they can't do this or that with out more." ~didisaythat

Part of the problem is that there are too many strings attached to that money. People want improved education, but as long as they're also using the schools as substitutes for daycare, jail, and social experiments, the purported goal of improving education will continue to fall short. You can't have it both ways: you can't say schools need to improve, but sneak in all these other things detrimental to education into the package and expect the first goal to be accomplished. Worse, the kids get this. They can read between the lines. Regardless of what their parents tell them, they see how society undermines their education, and that just causes them to disengage and resist further.

jackflash123
July 2, 2009 9:19 a.m.

The lottery funds do indeed go to education. That allows the weasels in the legislature to spend that same amount on other items. I believe Georgia is the only state that truly spends the money on education. They pay for the college education of Georgia High School graduates.

rushbot
July 1, 2009 7:36 p.m.

Does anyone look at their taxes and how much goes to the school system...or the money from the courts that go to schools or the lottery? How about federal money? I am tired of the school system taking more money every year and saying they can't do this or that with out more. They need more accountants to figure out how to make it work with the money they are given.

didisaythat
July 1, 2009 7:05 p.m.

Why don't we stop forcing every single kid read "Hamlet"? Some of our students just want to read and write well enough to fill out a job application for a minimum wage job. I say we start letting them aim for the tops of the grass again if we can't sell them on aiming for the stars. We spend an awful lot of money trying to make everyone a college student and in the process, those who really aren't are sabotaging even that.

I'm 100% in favor of integrated, diverse schools, and I think that's really valuable for my children, but if we have to bus kids all over creation to accomplish it, like teaching everyone Shakespeare, we're fighting a losing battle because we're fighting it in the wrong place. If we live in segregated neighborhoods, busing our kids to force integration is going to backfire.

Why does that have to be the schools' responsibility? It's just like connecting driver's licenses to staying in school. It's a bribe to keep them off the streets. That's not how to help schools.

jackflash123
July 1, 2009 6:21 p.m.