TAMPA, Fla. -- A plan to cut hundreds of teaching positions is expected to save Hillsborough Schools millions of dollars, but speakers at Tuesday's school board meeting said they worry the real cost will be to students.

Superintendent Addison Davis told those at the meeting that no one disagrees with comments made about the need to protect teachers and classrooms, but he said with the district facing a $72 million decrease in its general fund balance, tough decisions have to be made. His comments followed about two dozen parents, teachers, and students telling board members the cuts are a mistake.

"You approve every expenditure, you approve every unit allocation every year. There is no excuse for you to say you did not know the severity of the hole this district is in," said speaker Hilary Garcia, who told board members she's both a teacher and a parent of students in the district.

One after another, speakers told board members why they're against cutting positions. A repeated concern: what it will mean for students.

"They're losing elective teachers, they're losing special classes that they enjoy. It's very inconsistent for them," said Emily Lee, a Burney Elementary teacher and parent of two Hillsborough students.

"As a superintendent, one thing you don't want to do is ever have to go and impact the classroom. You don't want to do it. It is that last call," Davis said during the meting.

According to information from the district, the plan involves eliminating 149 positions. There are 424 vacancies that will remain unfilled, as well as 246 positions that are projected to be reduced. Of those 246, 124 were hired temporarily after August 14. Around 60 of those teachers won't return. Others hired before August 14 will either be reassigned to an open position at another school or stay at their current building until something opens up there. That disruption was something teachers spoke out about. Davis later said that he appreciates teachers' flexibility and encouraged them to remember that everyone's had to adapt during the pandemic.

"Is it the right recipe, is it the best way to do business at the current place that we are? The answer is yes. Would we do it if we weren't forced with a financial deficit or forced in this particular area? The answer's no," he said.

The plan is expected to save the district more than $57 million during the course of the year. 

Davis said the cuts are part of Phase I of a financial plan meant to make up that budget shortfall. He told the board among the steps included in Phase II are freezing all general fund hiring for most positions and absorbing vacancies, retirements, and resignations where possible.