After two decades as a public school teacher, the end of the school year elicits familiar emotions: exhaustion, exhilaration and pride. When my students leave my classroom for the final time, I feel a sense of accomplishment and pride for their individual accomplishments.
But this June, I am experiencing some new emotions: sadness, anger and anxiety.
When I return to my classroom in August, there will be an estimated 6,000 fewer teachers and support staff in our public schools in Pennsylvania. Molly Castro-Hopple, a teacher at Indian Valley High School in Lewistown and Sarah James, a teacher at Park Forest Middle School in State College are among those who have received furlough notices for next school year because of budget cuts.
Hopple says she is very worried about how her family will pay their bills without her paycheck. James, a family consumer science teacher at Park Forest Middle School in State College, is also facing unemployment. She is frustrated and concerned about how budgetary cutbacks will impact students.
Furloughs and educational program cuts will mean less personal attention and larger class sizes. It is estimated that 86 percent of Pennsylvania school districts will increase class size and 64 percent will cut tutoring programs for struggling students.
Three-fourths of school districts anticipate reducing or eliminating student field trips and extracurricular activities, including sports programs. More than a quarter of Pennsylvania school districts are considering closing schools next year in order to reduce costs.
The bottom line is that the academic gains made by Pennsylvania’s public schools in the last decade are at great risk because of proposed $1 billion in cuts to the public education budget by Governor Corbett.
These drastic education budget cuts can be avoided if the legislature would tax the Marcellus Shale industry, close corporate loopholes and utilize the state anticipated surplus funds to fund education.
But the reality is that the Marcellus Shale industry and corporations have powerful and wealthy lobbyists who are working overtime to protect their interests. Those of us fighting for the children have little political clout or money. But we do have one weapon: an unyielding passion about children and public education.
A state budget will be enacted before June 30. That means we have only a few weeks to get our messages to our legislators. Our children are depending upon us to be their advocates. Please join our crusade to save public education by sending a message to your legislator. To get more information: http://savepaschools.org/.
Brad Siegfried
President, Philipsburg Osceola Education Association
President, Central Region PSEA
