Watch CBS News

Detroit Teacher Layoffs 'Going To Be Very Personal'

DETROIT (WWJ) - As many as 4,800 Detroit Public Schools teachers will soon receive layoff notices.

Detroit Federation of Teachers President Keith Johnson said he expects most of them will be brought back -- but the decision of who to re-hire will no longer be based on seniority due to a new state law.

"It leaves to the district's discretion who they decide to bring back," he told WWJ Newsradio 950. "So, in the absence of any comprehensive evaluations being done, this is going to end up being very subjective. It's going to be very personal."

Johnson said most teachers were retained last year as well, but the notices created a lot of confusion.

"The problem was when the school year  began we had a number of who still had not been recalled," Johnson said. "So, as a result, we had a number of classrooms, at the beginning of the year, that had no teacher."

Johnson said he's been told by the chief of labor affairs for the district that this will likely be the last time teacher layoff notices go out en masse.

RELATED: School Workers Object To Proposed Benefit Changes

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.