LAUSD School Board Holds Layoff Hearings

Los Angeles - Layoff hearings began today for thousands of Los Angeles Unified School District teachers facing the loss of their jobs at the end of the school year, with the union continuing to push for alternatives to cuts in the classroom.

About 5,000 layoff notices were sent to district employees in March as the LAUSD tries to cut into an estimated $408 million deficit for the coming school year. District officials have said the layoffs are a last-resort measure, and they were working to make cuts elsewhere to help save jobs.

But as teachers began appearing at hearings today before an administrative law judge -- to ensure the layoff notices were within district policy -- some said the layoffs would be devastating for schools.

LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy unveiled a proposal earlier this month that would provide a one-year budget fix and save the jobs of many of the employees targeted for layoff. The plan, however, would require employees and their unions to agree to 12 unpaid furlough days.

The furlough concept is still the subject of union negotiations. In the meantime, teachers' jobs are hanging in the balance -- along with the possibility of increased class sizes for students.