Reading, Pennsylvania: Poorest U.S. City Loses Pre-Kindergarten, 170 Teachers
Eighth-grader Selena Karner lined up in her Reading, Pa., middle school auditorium last week to receive an award for language arts. But during what would normally be a joyous moment for her teachers, educators were crying in the audience. Many were absent.
Teachers were less than joyous for the awards ceremony because 110 of them received pink slips earlier that day, placing them on unpaid leave until further notice. In addition, they learned 60 retiring teachers would not be replaced. The schools of America's poorest city had run out of cash and cleaving 13 percent of the teachers from the payroll was just the beginning.
Reading will lose pre-kindergarten entirely next year. Special courses in industrial arts will be curtailed. Selena's mom, Malissa Karner, said she expects her children's classes to grow to 40 or 50 students because of the shortage of space and personnel. Selena Karner started a Facebook group to advocate for the city's teachers
Teachers were less than joyous for the awards ceremony because 110 of them received pink slips earlier that day, placing them on unpaid leave until further notice. In addition, they learned 60 retiring teachers would not be replaced. The schools of America's poorest city had run out of cash and cleaving 13 percent of the teachers from the payroll was just the beginning.
Reading will lose pre-kindergarten entirely next year. Special courses in industrial arts will be curtailed. Selena's mom, Malissa Karner, said she expects her children's classes to grow to 40 or 50 students because of the shortage of space and personnel. Selena Karner started a Facebook group to advocate for the city's teachers