EASTERN ORANGE, NJ — The New Jersey Department of Education says East Orange School District violated state regulations.

According to East Orange City Hall, 71 school staff members and four district employees have been laid off, and 18 employees are retiring or transferring to new assignments. This is all due to a $25 million budget deficit.

In a statement released Tuesday, the DOE says the district was not promptly informed of the conditions causing the deficit:

“Reports from the East Orange School District that they are experiencing a budget deficit and having to lay off staff so early in the school year are causing concern. Notably, New Jersey Department of Education regulations (NJAC 6A: 23A-16.10(b)) provide clear direction to districts that are at risk of falling into a budget deficit, which includes promptly notifying the department of the conditions that caused the deficit. Unfortunately, the East Orange School District does not. failed to follow these steps, including timely notification to the Department The Department is now attempting to gather information from the District Department officials met with District officials yesterday morning and will continue to seek additional information from the District. to better understand their current financial situation.

East Orange community outraged by layoffs

East Orange School District voted in favor of the cuts during a heated meeting on October 16. According to Superintendent Dr. Christopher Irving, who started work in July, the district is in debt and would not have been able to pay salaries in May or June without the cuts.

“We didn’t do our due diligence to, frankly, understand what the financial reality was from the start of the school year,” Irving said last week.

Outraged parents and teachers are demanding transparency from the school district.

“They do a good job teaching kids, they should be paid,” East Orange resident Phyllis Venable said Tuesday.

“Someone mishandled money,” said Princina Bunion, an East Orange resident.

“That’s it. That’s the whole problem,” another person added.

THE East Orange mayor says surveillance is the problem and says education will not be affected.