Public Advocate pushes petition drive against teacher layoffs

More than 100 parents will fan out at schools and subway stops Thursday in response to Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposal to lay off 4,100 teachers.

As part of a “Parent Day of Action,” they’ll be asking New Yorkers to sign a petition sponsored by Public Advocate Bill de Blasio calling for the mayor to reconsider the layoffs. De Blasio's office created a website, www.parentsforteachers.com, in response to the proposed cuts.

Bloomberg has argued that the cuts are necessary under the city’s budget and can help “reduce expenses.”

But De Blasio said this week that there are other areas of the budget to cut, such as consultant contracts, instead of education.