Ypsilanti school board members urge residents to march on state Capitol
Several Ypsilanti school board members are attending a rally in Lansing Wednesday to demand changes in how the state funds public education and are asking community member to join them.
They'll be among what's expected to be a strong contingent of Washtenaw County parents, school district employees and school board members at the Lansing rally.
Ypsilanti trustee Kira Berman and vice president Linda Horne confirmed they'll be at the march to the state Capitol. They and several others involved in the effort are meeting at 11 a.m. in the Ypsilanti High School parking lot to make signs and carpool to the rally.
Trustee Kira Berman
The state has cut funding by $168 per pupil this year, and districts have been told to expect another $250 to $400 per pupil cut in the coming year, according to Berman.
Ypsilanti Public Schools is considering school closures and teacher layoffs as it contends with a roughly $6.8 million budget shortfall. District officials attribute much of the current financial crisis to cuts in state funding.
“If we don’t change the way the state funds education, then we will continue to see these cuts, not just in Ypsilanti but all over the sate of Michigan,” Berman said. “And it’s the children in the schools who lose.”
The district recently made nearly $500,000 in cuts, but the board approved an amended budget at its Monday night meeting in which the deficit grew. District chief financial officer David Houle explained to the board that growth in the deficit is largely due to cuts in state funding.
“It’s devastating,” Berman said. “These are devastating cuts and excruciating decisions we have to make.”
The rally starts at the state Capitol at 1:45 p.m. A position paper can found on the website of Save Our Schools, one of the event's organizers, at www.sosmichgan.org. For more information, contact Berman at kira.berman@gmail.com.
Tom Perkins is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.
Comments
snapshot
Wed, Mar 10, 2010 : 7:48 p.m.
Is it a taxpayer subsidized trip? Which part of "there's no money" do these educators and parents not understand?
Martin Church
Wed, Mar 10, 2010 : 12:58 p.m.
What a poorly written article. Of course march on Lansing, and ask for more money. Question is where will it come from. I have seen my pay cut by 20% and my Taxes (state, local, and Federal) exceed 50% of my income. I can not afford to give any more. And stop with the taxing of the rich. They only pass on the cost to us the poor fools on the bottom. don't believe me take a look at the menu prices between Taco Bell and McDonald in Ypsilanti where we have a Living Wage and the same menu in pittsfield or Milan where there is no living wage. More you tax the more taken from the public. Let's stop telling the kids and their parents public education is free. It's not, it costs and it is time they start understanding and demanding performance from their children. After all you only get what you put into it.
InsideTheHall
Wed, Mar 10, 2010 : 6:05 a.m.
The MEA continues to brain wash school boards and parents that the sky is falling and indeed it is falling. The state has 50% less revenue today compared to 10 years ago. Ironic that the MEA supports the political caste in Lansing that created this economic mess. Until the MEA comes to the table (collectively) and agrees to 1) a 4.5% pay cut state wide 2) agree to eliminate the defined pension plan and convert to a cash plan and 3) negotiate a revision to their benefits package that is more in line with the benefits of the parents of the students they teach. If the MEA is not willing to play ball then order up the body bags becasue it will be CUT time. More money from Lansing is not the answer....they don't have the money. The cold hard reality is we have to do without. 85% of school budgets are made up of salaries/bennies. The MEA is the elephant in the room.
tdw
Tue, Mar 9, 2010 : 6:59 p.m.
Yea that'll help
Taycheedah
Tue, Mar 9, 2010 : 5:46 p.m.
Oh I'll be happy to go. Of course they may not like what I have on my sign. Cut ALL salaries by 10% and revise ALL the benefits. They may even have a little cusion in the budget when they got done.