Section 2585. Continuation in office of boards, bureaus, teachers, principals and other employees, et cetera

1.  Except  as  otherwise  provided  herein the boards, bureaus, teachers, principals, supervisors,
  superintendents,  heads  of  departments,  assistants   to   principals,
  examiners, supervisors of lectures, directors and all other officers and
  employees of the school systems or of boards of education of the several
  cities  of the state, lawfully appointed or assigned before June eighth,
  nineteen hundred seventeen, shall  continue  to  hold  their  respective
  positions for the term for which they were appointed or until removed as
  provided in subdivision five of section twenty-five hundred twenty-three
  of this article.
    2. If a board of education abolishes an office or position and creates
  another  office  or  position  for  the performance of duties similar to
  those performed in the office or position abolished, the person  filling
  such  office  or  position  at  the  time  of  its  abolishment shall be
  appointed to the office or position thus created  without  reduction  in
  salary  or increment, provided the record of such person has been one of
  faithful, competent service in the office or position he has filled.
    3. Whenever a board of  education  abolishes  a  position  under  this
  chapter,  the  services of the teacher having the least seniority in the
  system  within  the  tenure  of  the   position   abolished   shall   be
  discontinued.
    4. If an office or position is abolished or if it is consolidated with
  another  position  without  creating  a new position, the person filling
  such position at the time of its abolishment or consolidation  shall  be
  placed upon a preferred eligible list of candidates for appointment to a
  vacancy  that  then  exists or that may thereafter occur in an office or
  position similar to the one which such person filled  without  reduction
  in  salary or increment, provided the record of such person has been one
  of faithful, competent service in the office or position he has  filled.
  The  persons  on such preferred list shall be reinstated or appointed to
  such corresponding or similar positions in the order of their length  of
  service in the system.