State hands out pink slips to entire School staff

[Guest billwilly73]

Sgt. Alvin C.York is spinning in his grave

Pink slips at York?

Pink slips at York?

Liz Engel

Herald-Citizen Staff

Thursday, Mar 25, 2010

JAMESTOWN -- Reports are surfacing that every employee at York Institute in Jamestown is being dismissed. WBIR in Knoxville is reporting that officials with the state Department of Education would be coming to the school today to issue pink slips to all employees, according to superintendent Phil Brannon. The phone line at York Institute was busy this morning, and later, temporarily out of service. Fentress County School Director Mike Jones said he's heard nothing from the state about the reports, but did receive a phone call from Brannon yesterday about the pending layoffs

"We've had zero contact with the commissioners office about this, and I've not heard a single word from the state department of education," Jones told the Herald-Citizen. He said he unsure about the future of the school if employees were laid off. York Institute is the only public school in the Tennessee operated by the state, but in February, the funding responsibility was turned over to Fentress County Schools. The county currently operates one other high school. "All of the consolidation plans that I've ever heard of with other (school) systems, they had a couple years to transition into this," Jones said. "Closing a state facility's never happened, so there's no precedent set for this. I don't know."

Brannon said, although little is certain, he didn't believe the layoffs would be effective today, rather at the school year's end. Gov. Phil Bredesen announced Wednesday that 853 state employees would receive layoff notices this week, but it was unclear if the cuts at York were related. The school has more than 600 students enrolled. More information will be published as it becomes available.

People in the county are upset and letting all elected officials know how they feel. If you have time please do the same.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

That's right. Defund a school in the country that may actually provide a better service than its inner city flops. Some outreach, Bredesen. He probably considered the politics

instead of the results. There are better ways to cut costs in state government than something like this. Consider the merit before you ruin someone else with your politics,

Phil.

[Guest wdytia]

This is a shame. I have a grandchild that attends that school. The curriculum is good, the teachers are great and now this???? I don't understand where they think they are going to put those kids. York has 667 students..the new high school in Fentress county is at capacity already. Sooo, what are they going to do/ build a new school for 10 - 15 million? The state made a promise years ago to keep this school open. I heard on the news right after this report that TN is getting another 100 million in education stimulus money; there is a total of 1 Billion already received. So why can't they fund the only state funded school in the state (2.2 million is the cost)?

[Mike.357]

I will venture a guess that this school is state funded because of York's status as a state hero.

That aside, why do my tax dollars go to support a school not in my county? not that i really mind, but why is there only one school such as this?

[Mark@Sea]

Funding the school was sgt. Yorks request - sort of. Fascinating story, short version is that he asked for a school in his home county (which was too poor to support one), the state built and funded it in recognition of his extraordinary valor in action

Real shame they're closing it.

I'd expect more cuts elsewhere, as obamacare puts Tennessee on the hook for an additional 700 million a year. The governor and legislature must be going quietly ballistic, trying to come up with that kind of cash. I am afraid we're going to be looking at a state income tax.

You know what they say; if you think healthcare is expensive now, just wait till it's free.