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News > Multimedia
Tom Wiedemann counts himself among the fortunate employees of Arlington Heights-based High School District 214. Administrators said last week that although 29 members of the Educational Support Personnel Association received letters saying their positions have been eliminated, most will still be working for the district in the fall. "Many will have the same jobs but in a different building," Supt. David Schuler said Thursday after a school board meeting. The changes are part of an effort to eliminate an estimated $4.4 million shortfall in next year's budget. Union President Bob Kramer said he believes that the district is unfairly targeting the union, which has about 480 members, including secretaries, security workers, instructional assistants and technical aides. "I'm one of the lucky ones," said Wiedemann, a physical education assistant at Buffalo Grove High School who received a letter. Because of seniority, he will be able to bump someone else, but that will mean leaving Buffalo Grove, where he has spent 29 years, 25 years as an employee and four as a student. Wiedemann, who is also "the voice of the Bison," announcing at football games, told board members that one of his main jobs is to provide security in the boys locker room and that he has helped deter drug sales and prevented or broken up fights. He wondered who would pick up those duties and got a standing ovation from more than 60 union members when he asked about loyalty. Schuler said that because of the "bumping" provision in the contract, it will take district officials time to finalize assignments. "No matter how many of the 29 get rehired, we're still looking at 13 fewer positions," Kramer said. "And the question is, who's going to do the work?" He also questioned what he called a lack of consistency across the district's six high schools: Elk Grove, Rolling Meadows, Buffalo Grove, Hersey, Prospect and Wheeling. "How do you decide three schools don't need a locker room attendant, but three do?" said Mark Michaels of the Illinois Education Association, an advocacy group that supports the union. |
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