California: Sacramento teacher of the year laid off

Michelle Apperson who teaches the sixth grade in Sacramento was laid off in spite of being named Teacher of the year. In her bio she notes:"My favorite teachers growing up were the ones who challenged me to go out of my comfort level a little bit, strive for the stars, and work hard,"

Apperson was laid off as part of a massive budget cut. Many areas in the U.S. are facing similar cuts. Although Apperson said that the layoff hurt her on a personal level she realizes that given the budget situation she understands why it has happened.

Apperson received her pink slip just days after President Obama urged lawmakers to help out states that are facing a crisis in education funding. The Sacramento Unified School District has suffered about 143 million in budget cuts recently. State law mandates layoff based on seniority. For more see this article.