In the midst of a firestorm of controversy over the layoff of fifty-nine IPS employees, 80% of whom are African-American and a looming $30 million deficit, Interim IPS Superintendent Dr. Peggy Hinckley appeared on Afternoons with Amos to explain the school systems side of these issues. Dr. Hinckley said that the IPS School Board gave her a mandate when she was hired to reduce IPS’ deficit, which will run about $30 million this calendar year. Dr. Hinckley stressed that the cuts were not made on the basis of a worker’s job performance. These cuts are “through no fault of the employee”. Dr. Hinckley confirmed that she knew that a disproportionate number of Black employees were being laid off. But she said that many of those laid off workers had been hired in the last couple of years and they didn’t directly teach students in a classroom. Hinckley said her goal is to make sure that resources and personnel are devoted to providing instruction to students in the classroom. Hinckley said that there are more cuts to come, especially among workers in IPS’ Central Office. She told Amos and listeners that she had told Central Office staff that there would less of them at the beginning of the next school year than this school year. Hinckley also said that IPS would have to face closing schools at some point. That a bunch of IPS schools and buildings are operating below capacity. But IPS is reluctant to close those schools because it “would give our competition (charter schools) an advantage”. When asked by Amos whether IPS would provide letters of reference to those laid off or at least a letter saying the individuals were losing their jobs because of no fault of their own, Dr. Hinckley thought that was a good idea. Supt. Hinckley also revealed that IPS would be consolidating their various alternative school locations into one location next school year. She said that certified employees recommended to be laid off could apply for other certified teaching or administrative positions. Click the Link To Hear IPS’ Side of these issues and the Interview with IPS Interim Supt. Dr. Peggy Hinckley. Runs 32 Minutes. ©2013 WTLC/Radio One.
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