When Education and Politics Collide

I attended a town council meeting to discuss the proposed budget cuts to education. As a result of the mayor's budget, the school system would have to lay off 27 teachers, cut sports, gifted, and arts programs, and possibly eliminate a school. The meeting was a parade of the town's brightest students pleading with the council to save the gifted program. After about 8 or 9 students spoke about what TAG meant to them, the artsy students spoke about their programs. Some high schoolers spoke about their sports teams. Then some teachers spoke and they were followed finally by parents. The meeting got contentious when the fire marshall declared that there were too many people in the building, and asked those who had spoken to leave. Some obliged. I was only there for about an hour, but it was interesting to see the various factions lobby for their interests. Few people spoke about the possible changes that would affect a large number of students. Closing a school or eliminating a classroom in each school would have a profound effect on classroom sizes, but for the first hour that wasn't mentioned. The town council will make a decision by June. That gives plenty of time for more drama and sudden twists to this saga. The fate of education for the foreseeable future in this town is in their hands.

BBC