Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

As a school social worker for over thirty years, I have seen first-hand the impact of funding cuts and the newly enacted legislation on our schools. I have worked with students from preschool through college. I know the challenges that are faced on a daily basis. Families need a voice at the capital, someone who will speak the truth and fight for the needs of our children.

We need equitable, stable, and sustainable funding for our schools. Schools, which are at the heart of a community, are continuing to close, class sizes are increasing and resources are being cut. It was an outrage that 500 million dollars were diverted from the school aid fund to pay for the largest corporate tax break this state has ever seen. Legislators must understand that an educated workforce is an integral part of a strong economy.

Our kids and our schools are paying the price for an economic mess they did not create. WE must stop lawmakers from balancing the budget on the backs of schools. We need reforms that are research and educationally based. The assembly-line approach, with a one size fits all mentality, is limiting our children's options rather than increasing them. We need to lift up our schools and not continue the race to the bottom. The future of public education is at stake.

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