Baltimore County Teachers Protest Elimination Of Pay Raises At Board Meeting
BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) — It's a fight for funding as teachers said Tuesday night that an $81 million budget cut would take away their cost of living and salary increases.
It was a sea of red outside the Baltimore County Board of Education as dozens of county teachers and employees in five other unions stood in solidarity to fight for pay raises.
"We need to make sure teachers are cared for as well as our students," said fifth-grade teacher, Amanda Schmidt.
Raises and other employee benefits were originally promised to them in the initial budget proposal.
However, after county executive, Johnny Olszewski identified an $81 million deficit two weeks ago, interim school superintendent, Verletta White was forced to make cuts.
Teachers like Jane Sacks said that it isn't fair.
"They're buying things for their classroom," said Sacks. "They're putting their heart and soul, and blood, sweat, and tears- and to have a slap in the face with a cut and not cost of living and no step increases is horrific."
The new budget proposal would also cut out a plan to extend the school day by 15 minutes and reduce class sizes in high schools.
Teachers like Brian Sommer said that instead, they need more resources and staffing for overcrowded classrooms.
"It's really difficult for teachers to do a great job by every student if there's more in every classroom," the Franklin High English teacher said.
In a statement to WJZ, the county executive said: "while our fiscal year is challenging, we should not address our challenges on the backs of our educators."
Still, board members said that they need to find a budget plan that works.
"There are choices to be made between expenditures that we make," said board member Roger Hayden.
Press Secretary T.J. Smith gave WJZ this statement:
"Last week, I presented a candid picture of the county's challenging fiscal outlook to our new Board of Education and our Interim Superintendent. I have been doing the same at a series of town hall meetings across the county because everyone deserves to understand the challenges we're facing, and I promised to bring transparency to county government. I also promised to make education my top priority. I remember my time as a teacher in Trailer 3 at Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts fondly and vividly, and my fellow educators should know that I will never forget where I came from. We have to find ways to be smarter and more strategic about how we spend taxpayer dollars, including in the school system. But to be very clear, while our fiscal situation is challenging, we should not address our challenges on the backs of our educators. We must prioritize our spending so that we can put our people first. I am confident there are opportunities for savings that will not deny our educators what they deserve."
The school board will hold a public input meeting Feb. 12, and is scheduled to vote on the budget Feb. 19.
Follow @WJZ on Twitter and like WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore on Facebook
