More than 180 Milwaukee Public Schools employees will have to reapply for their jobs as the district moves forward with plans to cut over 40 positions.
The district said these cuts will target central office positions to allow more employees to be in the classroom; however, the teachers union argued that the positions being eliminated work directly with students.
Laurel Heebsh has been working as a transition coordinator with Milwaukee Public Schools since 2007.
Her role includes assisting special needs students with whatever they may need to transition out of high school, such as teaching students how to ride the city bus and helping them put together resumes for jobs.
Watch: MPS teachers, union leaders call out district plan to cut over 40 teaching positions
"It's just really important stuff because those are skills you need to find success in the adult world," Heebsh said.
After operating in that role for well over a decade, Heebsh and everyone in her department will now have to reapply and re-interview for their jobs as part of the district-wide effort to cut 42 positions.
"We're all very frustrated, we're nervous about it," Heebsh said. "We're losing about a third of my department."
Superintendent Brenda Cassellius announced that these proposed cuts are being made in an effort to prioritize hiring employees that work directly in classrooms.
"I definitely don't sit in an office all day and relax. I'm working with students all day every day," Heebsh said. "It really just tells me that people in central office don't understand what I do or that they don't think it's valuable to support our students with special needs in becoming successful adults."
The teachers union agreed, saying the district is "missing the mark."
"What has been communicated is that these are cuts to central office and what is actually happening is that these are the unnecessary reapplication, reinterview process for teachers who have dedicated their careers to Milwaukee Public Schools," said Ingrid Walker-Henry, president of Milwaukee Teacher's Education Association (MTEA).
In total, 181 employees will have to reapply for their jobs. Some of those positions include trauma coaches, literacy teachers, and teachers who help the visually impaired.
"This whole process is just unnecessary. It is demoralizing for the staff," Walker-Henry said.
TMJ4 reached out to MPS for comment on the plan to cut staff but did not hear back.
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