KMPH Fox 26 Central San Joaquin Valley News Source in Fresno, California Entertainment, News, Sports and Weather | Laid-off State Prison Teachers Ask Valley Lawmaker for Support

Laid-off State Prison Teachers Ask Valley Lawmaker for Support

By: Ashley Ritchie

Dozens of the Valley's prison teachers stepped out of the classroom Wednesday and stepped up to protect their jobs.

"I have over 17 years with the Department of Corrections and I'm no longer valuable," Harold Pope said.

Pope is a high school teacher at Kern Valley State Prison.

And he says his students are in serious need of an education.

"Can you imagine a man, 58 years old, coming to me in my classroom and he can't read?" Pope asked.

Pope, and many others, came to personally deliver their layoff notices to Assembly Member Danny Gilmore, who represents 14 of the state's 33 prison facilities and 230 of the prison teachers who got pink slips.

"Danny was already out for the past week when notified so he had pre-standing engagements," Noah Lawson, Danny Gilmore's District Director, said.

But Gilmore did send Lawson to collect the notices and hear from the people.

"The folks have every reason to be upset. It's their life that's on the line and their quality of life that's on the line," Lawson said.

For many of these teachers, the layoffs mean a dramatic change.

"My husband was planning on retiring in December and I was going to support him," Sandra Lafferty, a state prison teacher, said.

"I'm going to be forced to retire, substitute or go fix foreclosed houses," Pope said.

"120 days out, these teachers are going to be in the unemployment line," Gary Pannett, a state prison teacher, said.

Noah Lawson says he will make sure Gilmore receives all the layoff notices.

But these educators are worried their special delivery might not get there on time.

Some of the teachers at Wednesday's rally argue there is funding to keep their positions.

They say the Department of Corrections gets federal money from the Workforce Incentive Act.

But those in charge of distributing that money aren't using it wisely.

Gilmore's representative says the lawmaker has never supported the budget cuts that resulted in the layoff decision.