Parents, students protest proposed education budget cuts
04.02.04
By Margie DavisEmotions ran high at the Metropolitan Board of Public Education meeting Tuesday as parents, students and school employees reacted to a proposal that would slash more than $40 million from the district's operating budget by eliminating 550 jobs and a range of support services.
About 80 demonstrators — many with children — gathered outside the Board of Education building before the meeting, carrying home-made signs and placards.
Ruthann Getz, who said she works as an administrative assistant in the school district, held a printed sign that read: "Cut out the waste, not the workers."
"It's mind-boggling that they would try to get rid of so many people," said Getz, who declined to say exactly where she works. "We're already doing without so much. I bring paper towels from home for our bathrooms."
Inside the building, the 180 seats available to the public were quickly snapped up, and it became standing room only as parents, students, teachers and staff poured in.
For the next hour and a half, speakers appealed to the board to reconsider the proposed budget, speaking emotionally of the work that has been done and now is being threatened by the suggested reductions.
Shannon Crawford, an adult-education teacher at Cohn Adult High School, pointed out that the school was slated to have all four English teachers eliminated.
Crawford described the school, which prepares returning students to finish high school, as one of the few of its kind in Nashville. Her voice broke as she recalled a letter she received from a former student after he shipped out with the Navy.
Physical education instructor Mark Banasak drew repeated applause and laughter with his spirited defense of his job. He concluded with the observation that obesity is currently the No. 2 killer in America.
"Taking away half the physical education positions will help No. 2 become No. 1," he warned.
Nathaniel Mason, a junior at Renaissance High School, made an impassioned plea that the school be kept open. The proposed budget eliminates nine of its 10 teaching positions, effectively closing the school.
"If they close, they'll be ruining many people's chances," Nathaniel predicted.
He described himself as a once-failing student who is now an honor roll student.
As he left the lectern, the audience applauded, whistled and stamped, many rising to their feet in a spontaneous ovation. Most of the school board members joined in the applause.
The board did not indicate what action would next be taken on the proposed budget.
In other business, the board announced that the name for the new elementary school in Antioch would be the Thomas A. Edison Elementary School.