Teachers, Parents Protest State Budget Cuts In Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Saving schools and saving money seem to be impossible. Teachers, students, and their parents stood outside of Mayfair Elementary, holding up signs in protest of Governor Tom Corbett's proposed $1.2 billion worth of cuts to education.
"We have the potential for elimination of full-day Kindergarten under this budget," said President of Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, Jerry Jordan.
Kindergarten teachers say moving from full-day to half puts kids at a huge disadvantage.
"The things these children at the end of the year can do is amazing, to cut it and to lose it is devastating," said Mayfair Kindergarten Teacher Gina Felice.
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Mayor Michael Nutter says he met with Republican lawmakers on Monday. Republicans, who control the state legislature and have proposed shifting some funding from the Department of Public Welfare to Education. This would lessen the blow of Republican Governor Corbett's proposed cuts that have already left the Philadelphia School District with a $629 million dollar budget gap.
"As a city and county we would get hit twice," said Nutter. "Both on the education cuts and cuts by Department of Public Welfare."
Nutter says he understands the Governor's circumstance because he has been there before.
"My primary concern is that it doesn't play out in a way that has a negative impact on educational opportunities for children," said Nutter.
Reported by Jericka Duncan, CBS 3
