Parents in Spotsylvania County, Virginia sounded off at a school board work session on Monday, as the board tries to make up for a projected $18 million shortfall in their budget.
The shortfall is due in part to a delay in General Assembly Action on school funding, and under a controversial proposal, school librarians, teachers and other staff members could get cut.
“Plain and simple, we need to be here to make sure that this board is doing what it needs to do,” parent Jeff Kent said. “I’m wondering how they’re going to spin it to make it not seem as drastic as what it looks like.”
Emotions ran high as passionate parents and educators packed the room, looking for answers after Superintendent Mark Taylor and the Spotsylvania County Public Schools finance team released a list with 17 suggested cuts.
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One targets school libraries, where the district says eliminating 63 full time staff positions would save $4.2 million.
“Libraries should be sacred. I don't see how you can have a school without a library in it,” Kent said.
Also on the chopping block are more than 20 non-teaching and 60 additional teaching positions, along with the governor’s school program. Teacher pay could also be impacted.
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“To be clear, at this moment we don’t know the gap exists. The board of supervisors may approve the tax increase, may give the $19 million to us,” Taylor said.
While they wait to see what the final budget will look like, some critics accuse district leaders of playing politics to secure more funding.
Kent and other parents said the focus should be on the students.
“Stop playing games, just stop playing games with all of our children,” he said.
The board of supervisors will hold a public hearing on the budget, tax rate and capital improvement plan on Thursday.
