House and Senate Democrats held another news conference this morning to decry education cuts in the Republican budget proposals.
But this time, they presented the face of those cuts, which are now playing out around the state as school employees receive pink slips.
The lawmakers introduced reporters to Jennifer Tuft, a kindergarten teacher from Randolph County, who received notice about a week ago that her job will be cut next year. Another teacher and at least three assistants will also lose jobs, she said, and the reductions aren't over. She teaches at Archdale Elementary School, which has 410 students.
"I just can't believe it," said the 30-year-old mother of three. "I don't know how we're going to run a school of the same number of children with at least five fewer employees....I'm definitely concerned for my situation but I also am concerned for my school."
An eight-year teacher in North Carolina, she has tenure, so she's hoping she will be placed somewhere else in the county.
Tuft described her classroom of 22 children. One is homebound with cancer. Eight are English language learners. Two have ADHD, one has speech problems and 10-14 have personalized education plans that include specific strategies to move them to grade level. Tuft said she can't imagine her classroom without help from a teacher assistant.
"My assistant is a great asset to me, and I can't imagine doing it without her," Tuft said.
The House budget would cut thousands of teacher assistants. Senate leaders have said they want to cut deeper into K-12 education.
"This is not a fire drill, this is for real," said Sen. Martin Nesbitt, an Asheville Democrat. "The dismantling of the public school system has begun."
Comments
Barbarians at the gate
May 12, 2011 - 12:29pm — ironduffThank you, Martin Nesbitt, for putting it so succinctly. And thank you for fighting for what is good and right.
Yes, the selfish stingy know-nothings are bent on destroying a vital part of our democracy -- the public schools.
If these knuckleheads stay in power much longer, we will soon find ourselves a third-rate economy competing for those $1.25-a-day jobs with the Chinese and Vietnamese.
Of course, this is what the knuckleheads want because they get the kickbacks from the super-wealthy who own the factories.
What's next, a toll-booth at the end of my driveway so I can pay for using public roads defunded by the tax-cutting fools?
And it all goes back to education--these morons can't remember the Civics lessons about taxes and services provided by those taxes. All they know is that they want that extra $600 in tax saving so they can buy a new TV and watch American Idol.