EDUCATION CRISIS: ‘Teacher Of The Year’ Gets Pink Slip Amid Budget Cuts

June 15, 2012
Education
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Source: Daniel Macht / NBCBayArea.com / MSNBC

Sacramento sixth grade teacher Michelle Apperson was recently named “Teacher of the Year” for her entire district. A pink slip from California’s cash-starved government followed the good news for the Sutterville Elementary School teacher of nine years, KXTV reported.

According to The Sacramento Bee, the Sacramento City Unified School district approved $28 million in budget cuts earlier this year. The district is bracing for a worst-case scenario that it will have to cut another $15 million if Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax hike initiative fails to make the grade with voters in November, the Bee reported.

“It hurts on a personal level because I really love what I do,” Apperson told KXTV of losing her livelihood. “But professionally and politically or economically I get why it happens.”

A district spokesman told KXTV the teacher layoffs were based on seniority, not performance, and mandated by the state.

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