Over 100 Teaching Positions In New Britain To Be Cut

The budget crisis in New Britain is forcing the elimination of more than 100 teaching positions next fall and fueling conflict between city residents. WNPR’s Diane Orson reports.

State funding for education has been flat in Connecticut for the past two years, but costs to local school districts continue to rise. The city of New Britain also flat-funded its share of education costs. Sharon Beloin-Saavedra, president of the New Britain Board of Education, says there will be106 teaching positions eliminated in the fall.  

"50 at the elementary level, 21 at the middle school level, 35 at the high school level. And then we have specialty areas - special education, bilingual education, gym music and art teachers."

She says the fight over education funding has led to a breakdown in communication between key stakeholders in the city.

"Different segments of the community pitting themselves against each other - seniors against children, Democrats and Republicans vying, different levels of government, the Board of Ed, city council and the mayor."

Beloin-Saavedra belives the long-term fight for education financing will have to take place at the state level because poor cities like New Britain cannot pick up the resource gap.

For WNPR, I’m Diane Orson.