One Teacher Among Many Facing Layoff In Michigan This Spring

“I care about these kids here,” he said. “I love seeing that light bulb go off.” But even more so, his “forte,” (Niles High School teacher Ryan) Bigelow said, is building good relationships with his students.

“That’s what I do here,” he said, later adding, “and now that’s being taken away from me.”

As the school year comes to an end, countless teachers throughout the state face being laid off.

Bigelow is one of nine teachers in Niles who were handed that same fate last month.
“It has absolutely broken my heart,” he said.

Teachers (and support staff) throughout Michigan are receiving "pink slips" this year as the State of Michigan faces a deficit in the State's budget, including the School Aid Fund's projected deficit of more than $400 million.

www.nilesstar.com/2010/05/14/teacher-adviser-devastated/

Information on the State's budget woes can be found in a non-partisan Michigan House Fiscal Agency presentation located at:

house.michigan.gov/hfa/PDFs/Michigan%27s%20Economy%20and%20Budget%20presentation%20May%202010.pdf

The May Revenue Consensus Conference which is when the economists will officially project the State's available revenues for the fiscal year 2010-2011 is scheduled for May 21.