Mayor Villaraigosa Statement on LAUSD Board’s Layoff Reprieve

Mayor Villaraigosa issued the following statement this week following the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education's decision to delay a vote on teacher layoffs in order to pursue other cost-saving measures:

"I strongly support the Board of Education's decision to go back to the negotiating table before moving forward with draconian cuts which would increase class sizes and layoff teachers. And I encourage the representatives of the District's teachers and employees to join them in seeking smarter solutions.

"This economic crisis requires us to narrow our focus on our most critical priorities. And that means keeping teachers in the classroom and class sizes small.

"Laying off classroom teachers should be a last resort, and the Board was right to delay those layoffs until all other remedies can be explored. The challenge we face is great, but we can save jobs and keep class sizes small if management and employees are willing to work together and share in the required sacrifice."

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