YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Dozens of teaching jobs are on the chopping block in Youngstown.

According to some union members, Youngstown City Schools are losing nearly a third of its teaching staff. The Youngstown Board of Education voted to eliminate 46 full time teaching positions.

The vote came during a special board meeting Friday afternoon. Superintendent Connie Hathorn says the move was not easy but necessary. "Based on the fact that we have a lower student enrollment and the financial status of the district and due to the plan I implemented, we won't need as many teachers as we needed this year," Hathorn said.

Members of the teachers' union said the district would have to notify them by April 30th about the decision to make the cuts. They said they found out on Friday about the emergency meeting and the cuts in staff.

Hathorn hopes most of these teachers might come back as other teachers with more seniority retire in the district.

Each full time teaching position costs the district around 65 thousand dollars in salary and benefits. The cuts will save over two and a half million dollars a year.