Dozens of educators in Massachusetts could lose their jobs in the middle of the school year because a district doesn't know how it ended up with a budget deficit of more than a million dollars.

The Whitman-Hanson school committee held an emergency meeting in Whitman Thursday night. Superintendent Jeff Szymaniak took most of the heat during the tense and crowded session that was open to the public.

Szymaniak announced the district had amassed a $1.39 million deficit and that 25 positions, including teachers, paraprofessionals, and administrative jobs, would be cut Friday morning. Another five positions would be absorbed by staff resignations or planned retirements. 

Decision delayed

But, the school committee voted to push the decision back 30 school days so they can search for other alternatives to balance the budget. 

The meeting didn't have a public comment period, but it was interrupted several times by parents shouting questions at the committee and superintendent.

Whitman-Hanson schools budget crisis

Szymaniak explained that the school district's former business manager resigned earlier this year and his office set out to hire a new one. He claimed they struggled in that search but landed on an independent firm to serve as business manager and go over the books. Szymaniak claimed that consultant alerted him to the deficit two weeks prior, in mid-October, and suggested freezing some spending along with cutting positions as a way to get the budget back on track. The consultant was not at Thursday night's meeting. 

"The outside firm looked at our budget, looked at our numbers, and recommended an $800,000 cut immediately to sustain where we are and make sure we are not in a deficit in FY26 in June," Szymaniak told WBZ-TV after the meeting. 

When asked about how long the deficit had been building, he responded, "That I can't answer for you yet. That's in the next 30 days." 

"It's an absolute shame"

Parents and teachers alike were fuming during and after the meeting. Many were left with more questions than answers. 

"What is happening to this school district is a shame. It's an absolute shame," said Whitman-Hanson parent Amy Gavin. "I am so upset and frustrated that they are even considering reducing staff especially our special-ed staff. You cannot have children build a rapport for the first two months of school and rip that caring adult out of their life."