Philly schools issue layoff notices; some blocked

The Philadelphia School District has begun issuing thousands of layoff notices to teachers and other employees, but a judge has ordered the district to rescind some of them.

The district said yesterday more than 3,000 notices were being issued, including more than 1,500 to teachers, in order to help close a $629 million budget gap. The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers went to Common Pleas Court asking for a temporary restraining order blocking the teacher layoffs.

The union said any layoffs must be done according to seniority and include teachers at the worst-performing schools dubbed “promise academies.”

Superintendent Arlene Ackerman said teachers at those schools would not be laid off in order to minimize disruptions at struggling schools.

Judge Idee Fox issued the order blocking the teacher layoffs pending a June 14 hearing.