LEDGER COLUMNIST

When I first read about the Cherokee County School District's decision to balance its 2007-08 budget through savings on personnel reduction, I understood no educators would involuntarily lose their jobs.

This is what we published in the March 26, 2007 edition of The Gaffney Ledger: "The Cherokee County School District could leave 61 positions unfilled in order to produce a balanced $59.5 million budget with no tax increase.

Retirements and normal employee turnover would allow the district to save $2 million in expenses, said Dr. Linda Sellars, assistant superintendent for instruction and curriculum."

When the words "retirement" and "normal turnover" are used, one would think no employees were to be forced out.

In our May 25 edition, we reported that : "The district plans to leave 61 positions unfilled through retirement and employee turnover to save $2 million, (Superintendent Bill) James said."

Again, these words imply that no educators would lose their jobs involuntarily.

I did question the assertion that this reduction would in no way affect the education of our children. How can the elimination of 61 positions NOT have an affect? But that's another matter.

Several others I have spoken to understood, as I did, that this reduction in force would in no way affect those who wanted to continue their employment with the district.

Even several school trustees were under that impression.

Boy, were we wrong.

In the past few days, I have spoken to several district employees who did not receive contracts for the 2007-08 school year. I have received a couple of letters about the subject and have been given names of numerous others who will not be in a Cherokee County classroom next year, even though they wanted to be.

Some of those without jobs have devoted their lives to the Cherokee County School District. They've taught for 20 to 30 years in the same classrooms where they once were students.

Their situation is somewhat complicated as they retired in previous years, but chose to continue working under a plan devised by the state to keep the most experienced employees in the workforce.

I won't even try to explain how it works, as it does not change what has happened or how they were treated by James.

The district office, in order to keep their "retirements and normal turnover" story plausible, listed these newly unemployed school teachers as having "retired."

So, anyone looking at the personnel changes provided at the monthly school board meetings would not see anything unusual.

"I DID NOT retire," is what I heard from these former teachers.

Well, you say, what's wrong with the district trying to save some money and avoid a tax increase?

On the surface of it, nothing.

But why not just come right out and say it? "We're going to have to let some folks go, increase classroom sizes, increase the time students spend in each period, reduce or eliminate some electives, etc."

But what about those the superintendent decided to "let go" and those he chose to keep?

Some of the "keepers," I'm told do not live in Cherokee County and have only taught here for a few years.

Doesn't loyalty count for something?

Sixty-one positions unfilled. That was the target number. I wonder how many of those were administrative? Was the district office staff reduced proportionately?

There's also the matter of some employee transfers that raised the eyebrows of the newly-unemployed teachers I spoke with.

I promised not to mention any names, because as usual, these folks are afraid of retaliation. "I might need to substitute and can't afford to be blackballed," one told me.

The anonymous letter writer started off by saying, "Sorry to be anonymous, but I am a school district employee."

They've seen what happens to those who talk openly about problems in the school district.

One of those I spoke with said, "They've run roughshod over the backbone of Cherokee County."

This isn't the first time and it sure won't be the last, unless the people of this county unite and demand change.

Cody Sossamon (cody@gaffneyledger.com) is publisher of The Gaffney Ledger.