"LIFO," a term generally understood in the context of accounting, is also used in the context of teacher layoffs. This is because, under current state law, a policy of "Last In First Out" prevails: the more senior teachers are protected from being fired and the newer teachers with the least time on the job must be fired first. It makes no sense to have this as an absolute rule. That would mean that even where the newer teachers are more effective than the more senior teachers, the newer/younger ones must be fired first. It is horrifying to see the fury with which people like Randi Weingarten have stood firmly by this principle. I understand how this policy came into being but I cannot understand how it continues to operate as an absolute. Neither can Mayor Bloomberg, as evidenced by his announcing his intention to rectify this problem. Kudos.