North Allegheny school board narrowly votes to cut library secretary positions

ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. — More than a hundred people packed North Allegheny’s school board meeting Wednesday evening.

Most of the crowd was there to support library secretary positions on the chopping block.

In September, we told you 12 positions could be cut. In the last month, that number dropped to six.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Parents react to North Allegheny School Board decision to eliminate all library secretary positions

Members of the public spoke in open comment for more than an hour.

“The children of this generation are already struggling to make up for losses in learning brought on by the pandemic, so why would we take an award-winning library program and weaken it?” one supporter of keeping the secretary positions said.

“Smart spending is important in every school district. Our cost to the district is minuscule in the budget,” said another.

Not all agreed. Supporters of the cuts cited factors including an increasingly digital world and cost savings of $300,000.

“With record inflation and the troubled economy, the NA administration is looking for ways to reduce expenses without affecting the students’ education,” one man said.

“I ask you to vote yes this evening,” one woman said.

In the end, the board was divided, voting 5-4 to cut the positions.

The move is effective in July. The six positions cut will be those with the least seniority.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

Senate advances bill protecting same-sex and interracial marriages

©2022 Cox Media Group