Parents concerned about condition of Lynn schools

LYNN – Ford School parents pointed to a set of crumbling concrete stairs roped off with yellow caution tape Friday to underscore why they think 35 custodian layoffs is a bad idea.”What if it had been a kid?” asked parent Craig Brown.The 35 custodians are part of 41 workers cut from city departments effective March 13 as part of the city’s efforts to absorb significant reductions in the amount of tax dollars funneled to the city by the state. Mayor Edward J. Clancy Jr. said Friday the custodian cuts are proportional to the size of the Inspectional Services Department, where the janitors work, compared to other city departments.He sympathizes with parents’ concerns.”The level of services will decline,” Clancy said, quickly noting that the cuts do not reflect past clashes he has had with the custodians union over a reorganization that transferred authority over custodians in 2006 from the schools to the city.”Absolutely, positively not. This is strictly a function of the department being so big,” he said.The custodians’ union, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 1736, fought the transfer in court, calling it illegal. They lost that bid with Clancy at the time asserting that putting custodians under City Hall’s authority would increase productivity.Attempts to reach union president Mark Raftery Friday morning were unsuccessful.Clancy said he was unaware of the crumbling Ford stairs, calling the repair a capital maintenance concern that did not happen overnight. Ford Principal Claire Crane was hurt slightly after tripping on the stairs Thursday.