The Department of Education would have to lay off "thousands" of employees if a federal judge rules in favor of legal challenges to teacher furloughs, officials told the Board of Education today.

Judge David Ezra refused to block the furloughs Oct. 22 in a hearing on two last-minute legal challenges to the furloughs, filed primarily on behalf of special education students.

But he is scheduled to hear further arguments on the issue Nov. 5.

Friday will mark the second of 17 scheduled furlough days for the public schools.

After today's meeting, schools superintendent Pat Hamamoto said that layoffs would probably be the first option over ending the school year early in the event furloughs are blocked. And she said that most of those laid off would be probationary teachers and other staff.