Sayre SD looking at program cuts, teacher furloughs

Sayre High School students picketed outside the school yesterday, and a board meeting last night got heated as the school district is looking at cutting several programs for next year. Hundreds of people filled the auditorium at the school – many wearing red shirts – and demanded answers regarding the district’s plan to potentially cut programs like family and consumer sciences, foreign languages, music programs, and art classes in next year’s budget. The Sayre Education Union says the cuts could result in the furlough of 25 percent of the teaching staff. Neither the board nor the superintendent answered any questions last night, saying they will be making a final decision in the next few weeks. Unlike New York, district taxpayers in Pennsylvania do not get the chance to vote on school budgets.