South Side Area School Board removes vote to furlough four teachers
A group of Beaver County teachers will not be let go, at least for the time being.
On Wednesday night, the South Side Area School Board removed from its meeting agenda a vote on whether or not to furlough four teachers.
When the issue was removed, a crowd of parents and students at the meeting erupted with applause.
The board had been considering furloughing the four teachers due to financial pressures as well as declining enrollment.
Of the positions considered, it included technical education, foreign language, physical education, as well as a librarian.
According to South Side Education Association President Michael Baker, the news that they were considering the cuts came as a surprise.
"We have asked throughout the year if the board was considering anything like this, and the answer has been no," Baker said. "These people have dedicated their lives. This is a career. This is their purpose, and it's being taken away from them. The impact and relationships they've made with the community and the students will be ripped away if they're removed from this program."
Prior to dropping the vote from their agenda, the district was also reportedly considering early retirement incentives as a way to reduce staffing.
It's not yet known if the South Side Area School District will reconsider the furloughs in the near future.
