Parents, teachers urge board to reconsider budget cuts

The proposed closure of two schools and a lack of raises for teachers proved to be the biggest concerns raised during a public hearing Thursday on the Suffolk Public Schools budget.

Teachers and parents from Mount Zion and Florence Bowser Elementary schools presented emotional stories about their tight-knit school communities in hopes that the School Board won’t shut them down. Teachers pressed for a raise, which is not included in the proposed budget.

Mount Zion parent Nicole Hamilton said her daughter, who struggled at other schools, now is on the honor roll at Mount Zion. Hamilton attributed the change to smaller class sizes.

“She told me, ‘Mommy, I’m not slow anymore. I’m smart,’” Hamilton said. “I don’t think we’re rewarding their academic successes by sticking them in a mobile unit.”

The school system had to close a budget gap of more than $5 million, which includes decreases in state funding and increases in retirement system costs.

In all, 15 people spoke at the 55-minute public hearing. The fire marshal stood guard at the back of the auditorium, but the room was less than half full.

It was a stark change from last year, when the over-capacity hearing lasted into the early morning hours and required a short break near the beginning of the meeting for the fire marshal to evict the standing crowd.

Other Mount Zion teachers and parents spoke during the meeting, with about two dozen colleagues in the audience standing the entire time.

“I understand that we cannot create funds where they do not exist,” said Jill Osborne, a Mount Zion parent-teacher association member. “It’s not fair to the students. You won’t find a community in education like you’ll find at Mount Zion.

Parents and teachers from Florence Bowser Elementary School also pleaded for their school to be restored to the proposed budget.

“There’s so many other things that could be cut,” said Jeff Meade, president of the Florence Bowser PTA. “It’s not just a school. It’s more like a family.”

Even though the building is old, one parent said, her daughter is flourishing in the preschool program there.

“You just can’t judge a book by its cover,” Lorrie Triplett said. “It’s unbelievable the things that she knows.”

Other speakers requested a raise for teachers and staff. Some teachers’ spouses, Susan Rothford pointed out, have lost their jobs.

“These families are totally dependent on teacher’s salaries,” Rothford said.

She added that the new deputy superintendent, Jacqueline Chavis, is slated to receive a higher salary than the position was advertised.

“One has to wonder why a person with less than a full year of experience with Suffolk Public Schools warrants such an increase,” she said.

Bethanne Bradshaw said after the meeting the higher salary was negotiated because Chavis has taken over many of the duties of an unfilled assistant superintendent position.

Other groups represented at the meeting included the Education Association of Suffolk, the Special Education Advisory Council and the school nurses.

“The school’s clinics are, in effect, emergency rooms staffed by one nurse,” said Carrie Boyer, a nurse at Lakeland High School. “We feel that a nurse in every school is of utmost importance.”

Look in Saturday’s paper for coverage of Thursday’s regular school board meeting.