One of the Rochester school board members believes teachers of color should be spared city budget layoffs.

Commissioner Judith Davis says the cuts harm the district's effort to add more teachers to help address under-representation. Advocates believe the "last hired, first fired" educator seniority laws will cost students of color.

"There are studies that show again that educators of color are more likely to note giftedness among [children]. They're more likely, when they have a relationship and contact with our children, the children, like I said, low-income black boys, are 39 percent less likely to drop out of school,” Davis said.

The school board will vote on job cuts Thursday, December 19.

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