Post by brant on Apr 3, 2010 10:07:27 GMT -6
AURORA -- Their message was as plain as the writing on their sign: "Pay up."
On a blustery Friday, a group of about 30 Indian Prairie School District kids and parents met at Nancy Young Elementary School on Aurora's far East Side to shoot pictures of kids protesting the proposed $1.3 billion state cut to education funding.
While angry parents will be heading to the Capitol on April 14, teachers will be making their own trip on April 21. The Illinois Education Association teachers union, including more than 160 local teachers, will head to Springfield that day for their Save Our Schools (SOS) Rally. For more information on the rally, which is expected to attract 3,000 to 5,000 teachers, visit illinoiseducationassociation.org.
The group will be compiling the photos into a video and taking their message to lawmakers in Springfield on April 14. Videos will also be sent to Gov. Pat Quinn and House Speaker Michael Madigan.
"The school boards and school districts don't have much of a choice but to cut their budgets," organizer Lori Price said. "We're being punished for being a fiscally responsible district."
Other signs at the digital protest read: "Why did education take the biggest hit of the budget?" and "Music programs are being cut -- were there any cuts to your pay?"
Their goal is to get lawmakers to restore the education budget cuts, not to support HB 174, which would increase income and business taxes, organizer Sherry Tatar said. Tatar, a community columnist for The Beacon-News, is the administrator of the group's "Caravan to the Capitol -- Restore Illinois Education Funding" Facebook fan page, which has logged about 265 fans.
"I don't think it is our responsibility to pay for the state's mismanagement of funds," said parent Jennifer Streder, who is the president of the Indian Prairie Parents Council.
"I'd rather see a referendum pass here than see the state income tax increase, because in the long term I don't think that money will stay in the district."
"This isn't a district-only problem. These cuts affect the entire state," Price said. She said she has heard from parents in Peoria, DeKalb and Plainfield who are planning on meeting in Springfield on April 14.
Parent Maureen Brink brought out her four kids to the video protest, saying that she's particularly concerned for 14-year-old Emily, who plays the viola, and 12-year-old Sarah, who plays the clarinet.
"We support the music program," Brink said. "We're trying to save these programs from having their budgets cut."
Metea Valley High School freshman Morgan Strader said she thinks graduating high school students may not be prepared for college if the state's education budget cuts aren't restored.
"My classes are already kind of crowded now," she said.
