And now...layoffs

Got a notice someone posted on the blog - odd, and I assume it is the spouse, but they were asleep. Later, another comes in. I've been hearing rumblings, and thought it worth looking into, and WOW. Holy Cross School has announced layoffs for next year - 5 teachers and some staff (no, not Denise). Some of these are "for a year or two"....and if you believe that, I've got some swamp land behind the ELC to sell you. The reason given is the economy, which one can't totally ignore, but there are many other factors going into this - none good for the long term health of Holy Cross School. I would be a bit more accepting of the company line if they hadn't stopped asking people why they left about the time Denise came on board. Can't imagine why. No, this is a bit more then that. This is the beginning of the end of the school (and apologies to those who think the ending started with the closing of the high school), and I guess you've got the right person in place to oversee the collapse of a school. You'll see more changes, more layoffs, more cutbacks, more and more desperate fund raisers (tough to see how they can get more desperate, though), and finally...the end. I mean, really....if you start trying to cut back on the school lunch program, already woefully inadequate compared to the public school system, or latch-key, you'll see less and less people considering Holy Cross as a school. Hell, even announcing these layoffs will cause some to think twice about starting their kids at Holy Cross. Now, there is a move afoot to save some teachers, but I think it is a fruitless task. First, if they are cutting that many, it means either enrollment really has dropped off, or the church subsidy has been cut. If you save Mr. or Mrs. "x", someone else has to go. Further, you might want to check around before you try to "save" these people too hard. I ran into one of the targeted teachers about a month ago, and they weren't happy, even then. Although they didn't come out and say it, they were not planning on returning to Holy Cross, even then...the enviornment had gotten too poisionous, so you might just be pulling the rabbit out of the briar patch if you try to "save" them.