Hundreds of Rockford Education Association (REA) members, along with community members, rallied Tuesday in support of the estimated Rockford 573 teachers and staff who have received layoff notices for the next school year.
The SOS (Save our Schools, Save Our Staff) rally preceded a special meeting of the Rockford Board of Education, at which 50 district employees were reinstated.
According to the Rockford Register Star, REA members met with district officials last week and urged that employees in hard-to-fill positions, such as special education, bilingual and early childhood, be reinstated.
It often takes half the school year to fill those positions, said REA President Molly Phalen. She wasn’t informed of the union employee changes before the vote.
“Why would you dismiss teachers in those positions?” she said.
(Photo: Matthew Johnson)