Anne Arundel residents were adamant about what is missing from the proposed operating and capital budgets: more money for teachers, special education and new classrooms.
“It is simply unacceptable that as a county we cannot find the funding, no matter how slow the economy is, to fund the best education we can for our children,” said Nicole Roberts, Parent-Teacher Organization president of Arnold Elementary School, of the proposed $50 million cut to the school system?s funding.
The 900-seat Chesapeake Arts Center in Brooklyn Park was at near-capacity Monday for the first of three public hearings on County Executive John R. Leopold?s proposed fiscal 2009 $1.22 billion operating budget and $400 million capital budget, 50 of them spoke before the County Council.
The resounding theme of the speakers was that underfunding the school system could lead to overcrowded schools, fewer school counselors and larger student-to-teacher ratios.
“How long can our staff and parents be the glue holding a failing buildingtogether?” asked Leslie Brown, whose child attends Folger McKinsey Elementary School in Severna Park, which did not get a $1 million expansion study in the proposed capital budget.
When Superintendent Kevin Maxwell asked audience members to stand if they were in “support of our school system,” nearly the entire auditorium stood.
Leopold has defended his funding of the school system by noting declining county revenue and Anne Arundel?s conservative spending because of the property tax cap.
“We?re looking at the entire forest, and the Board of Education is looking at one very big tree,” county budget officer John Hammond said Tuesday.
Maxwell has said 200 teacher positions could be left vacant if the school system isn?t fully funded.
Riviera Beach Elementary School in Pasadena could lose 29 percent of its teachers, which could hurt special education classes, said Laura Schmidt, a substitute teacher and parent of a student at the school.
“We?re saying to teachers, ?Don?t come to the county and work,? ” Schmidt said. “What?s happening to us?”
After Maxwell spoke, he received applause and a standing ovation, as many in the crowd were teachers, parents and students.
Hammond did not have the same reception from the audience, even after he said Leopold funded 95 percent of the school system?s $968.85 million request.
Councilman Ron Dillon Jr., R-District 3, said the county auditor was looking for ways to cut funding elsewhere and save money that could go toward education.
“We?ll be able to make headway,” he said. “Don?t think that we can perform miracles, but we?ll do the best we can.”
