TAAAC President, Richard Benfer, and I sat through Mr. Schuh’s budget delivery this morning. While there might be some things to compliment about it, none involved public education. His treatment of the Anne Arundel County Public Schools was disconcerting. Yes, another budget doing no more than the state’s minimum lawful contribution…the seventh time in row. There was a placeholder for a 1% place holder for school system employees, but that small piece of news is trumped by lots of bad news.
It does not include:
1. Step increases
2. Positions for expansion of the EEE program to three more feeder systems. That is a program great for young people with a side benefit that it provides elementary teachers with additional time.
3. Additional instructional positions to address 1,100 new students. Class sizes will continue to rise.
4. New positions to meet the needs of non-English speakers ….and much more
NEGOTIATIONS
In a sentence, what scant slow progress we have made might have just hit a roadblock.
What the County Council is willing and able to do with the Schuh Budget will decide much about the lives of our educators and their students in the coming years. Is it all that more important to attend the……
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET
Budget Hearing
Monday, May 11, 7:00PM
Annapolis High School
Please arrive by 6:30 prepared to hold carry a sign (we’ll have plenty) for 30 minutes in support of our profession.
Enter at 7:00 if you’d like to support TAAAC President Richard Benfer and others who will be testifying in support of public school educators.
