Chief Political Correspondent Michael Aron sat down with Paterson Public Schools Superintendent Eileen Shafer to discuss the school district’s recent budget crisis, which forced the district to eliminate 252 jobs — including 160 teachers.

Can the city schools withstand the layoffs? “Absolutely not,” said Shafer.

The district has applied for $24 million in emergency aid, but in the meantime, Shafer says that class sizes have increased, intervention programs have been eliminated, and arts and music education is taking a back seat.

Paterson also starts the year facing an uphill climb to regain local control after 28 years being under state oversight. Shafer says the Board of Education and the administration are working hard to put the city back in charge of its school system by fall 2020.

“That’s extremely important. Our community in Paterson deserves to be able to have a voice in the education of the children in Paterson,” she said.