Nearly 50 people, many of whom are borough residents, will lose their jobs, officials said
BOUND BROOK -- Severe underfunding from the state has forced the borough's school district to privatize paraprofessionals and custodians, Mayor Bob Fazen said Wednesday.
Bound Brook High School (Dave Hutchinson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)Members of the Bound Brook Education Association, parents, community residents, and representatives from other unions objected to the school district's decision at a Board of Education meeting Monday at Bound Brook High School.
The group wanted the district to explore other options in an effort to save jobs.
In a news release, the BBEA said that 45 people will lose their jobs, 84 percent of whom live in Bound Brook and have children and grandchildren in the school system.
"Everything the BOE is doing is to save money as a result of the under-funding of state school aid to our district," said Fazen. "The superintendent and I authored a letter to the governor requesting $2 million in extraordinary aid to our schools.
"We explained in the letter that without that aid we would have to make very deep cuts in the Board of Education budget and that's what has happened. The Bound Brook school district is under-funded by $9 million per year. Out of 600 school districts in the state, we're number 600 in the amount of dollars per student for state aid."
Superintendent Daniel Gallagher declined to speak with NJ Advance Media about the issue when contacted Wednesday.
During Monday's meeting, Gallagher didn't address the BBEA's concern that new administrative offices are projected to cost the district approximately $500,000.00, the BBEA said.
Association president Loren Paxson said residents are disheartened.
"On Friday afternoon, our teacher aids and custodians met with the new company and were informed of the changes in working conditions," Paxson said in the release. "It is clear that the company is basically run like a sub service. We have seen how privatization affects other districts."
Fazen expressed empathy for those losing their jobs but said the school district had to make difficult decisions.
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