Wanted: More local school funds
Numerous county residents spoke in favor of providing more local funds to the Middlesex County Public School System last Thursday night in the historic county courtroom at Saluda.
The comments came during a public hearing on Middlesex County’s proposed FY11 county budget.
The Middlesex County Board of Supervisors has proposed a 12-cent real estate tax hike that will generate about $2.5 million in additional revenue, but none of those funds would go to county schools.
The school system will lose about $700,000 in state funds in FY11 and has requested an additional $520,000 in local funds to help offset this loss.
Many at Thursday’s hearing indicated that level-funding the school budget at current levels amounted to a budget cut by the county board of supervisors.
“If you don’t give more money to the schools, they will be underfunded by $700,000 and that will impact students in the classroom,” said teacher Sara Beam of Saluda.
Parent Kathy Ruark of Urbanna said, “I’m very passionate about the elementary school. I’m a volunteer and I see the hard work every day of the teachers and administrators. I don’t see how you can level fund the school system. I can’t imagine what this will do to teacher and student morale.
“How can you let these kids down?” Ruark asked supervisors. “They are our future. If you don’t take care of them now you will end up taking care of them later, in jail.
“It breaks my heart that they will have less than what they have now,” continued Ruark. “We cut field trips and enrichment. We cut the very things they need.
“What really bothers me is that I hardly ever see any of you (supervisors) at the schools,” said Ruark. “You need to come see how hard our teachers and administrators work for our children.”
Teacher and coach Thomas (Heath) Cockerham told supervisors, “I can tell you right now that if you don’t fully fund our budget, the cuts will impact the classroom. I know you have been given a tough hand, but I know what this will mean. I’m on the front lines. This is going to mean there will be cuts in classroom quality.
“We are going to have to cut positions and I don’t have any room in my class for extra desks,” said Cockerham. “If you are going to cut positions, that’s what it’s going to mean—larger classroom sizes.
“We are ranked 115th in the state as far as teacher salaries,” he said. “What kind of message is that for our parents and children. Yet, every year you tell us to cut more and more.
“I’m the football coach and girls track coach,” continued Cockerham. “I don’t consider athletics an extra-curricular activity. I feel we teach as much about life on the field as we do in the classroom. Every year our teams vie for district and regional titles and sportsmanship awards. I’ve been around this state and I can tell you quite frankly we have some of the worst high school [sports] facilities in the state.
“You are planning to have a $2.5 million increase in revenue and not give the schools any more money,” said Cockerham. “What kind of message are we sending our children?”
Mark Lomax of Water View, who has a son in kindergarten at Middlesex Elementary School, said he can’t understand how supervisors can raise taxes that much and allow the schools to have less funds. “I don’t know how to explain that to my son,” he said.
David Taylor of Hartfield, who has a child in the county school system, said, “The thought that this board [of supervisors] is going to determine the quality of education of my child scares the hell out of me.”
Taylor chastised past boards of supervisors for not fighting harder to bring businesses to the county. “You (past boards) fought against Rappahannock Community College coming to the county. You fought against the hospital (RGH), and you fought against the regional airport. You’ve done everything you can to stop business from coming into our county. Please be pro-active to find ways to bring business here.”
Taylor asked how Mathews County can afford to propose an increase in local education funds and Middlesex cannot. “Why? Why?” he asked.
Susan Dize supported an increase in school funding and establishing a county meals tax and lodging tax. “There is no reason our visitors can’t help pay for our schools,” she said.
Joan Gosier of Urbanna said she supports the schools and hopes supervisors use more “vision” in the future to attract more businesses to boost the tax base.
Gosier also said the county needs to invest its money where there is a good return, and there is no better place than the county school system.
Susan Shelton of Urbanna said without additional funding for the schools her son, who needs special help, “won’t be getting that extra help.” She noted many people in the schools have worked hard to help her son, and she hoped supervisors will fund the school system’s request.
Rebecca Panis of Urbanna, who is a parent of a student and a substitute teacher, said, “We need more money so we won’t be paying for our children later when they are in jail.”
