Teachers, Union Object to Threats of Layoffs

The issuing by the Sacramento City Unified School District of potential layoff notices to dozens of veteran teachers because they haven’t earned a special credential to teach English-language learners has some crying foul.

Teachers and their union representatives said the school board made an arbitrary decision to change the deadline for earning the credential, placing teachers with decades of experience in danger of losing their jobs. But school board members said that teachers knew they were required to earn the credential or equivalent certification by 2005.