RICHMOND, Va. β Teachers, students and members of the Richmond Education Association gathered outside a town hall meeting Monday to voice concerns over proposed budget cuts as RPS leaders face a potential $22 million budget shortfall.
"Education is not a privilege; it is a need. It's a necessity and it's something that is a basic human right," a student said during the protest.
"We should not have to beg for counselors, summer school, or mental health support. We shouldn't have to explain why teachers deserve to be paid enough to stay," said Evan Wade, another RPS student.
The proposed budget cuts include laying off 50 central office staff members and pausing all raises for most employees that were negotiated through union contracts. The plan also includes closing the Richmond Virtual Academy and requiring employees to share 50% of rising health insurance costs.
Additionally, the plan removes summer school for K-8 students and proposes reducing contracts for mental health and other wraparound support services.
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Richmond Schools to cut 50 jobs, eliminate summer programs
Paul Lorenz, a business teacher at Richmond Virtual Academy, defended the program during the protest.
"We are real human teachers, building real human relationships with real students," Lorenz said.
Inside Monday's town hall meeting, school leaders emphasized that collective bargaining agreements and health insurance remain top priorities, along with mental health services and keeping summer school open.
Superintendent Jason Kamras explained the funding challenges facing summer programs.
"We serve about two to 3,000 kids in summer school every year. Unfortunately most of that has been funded with federal money, title dollars. We're facing about a $2 million reduction in those title dollars next year," Kamras said.
However, school leaders expressed optimism about legislation working its way through the General Assembly that could increase tax revenues for schools, revise funding formulas to better support high need districts, and boost teacher compensation.
School Board Chair Shavonda Fernandez called for increased state funding.
"There needs to be a massive overhaul in the amount of funding we receive from the state level. We have partners that are absolutely amazing but we also need the other side of the aisle to step up to help us to reassure that we have what we need for our kids to be successful every year," Fernandez said.
One parent at the meeting called for for collective action at the state level.
"My hope is that we'll come together and lobby the General Assembly which is where this lies. We've all talked about this disinvestment for decades," the parent said.
Many attendees noted greater challenges facing the district, especially in immigrant communities, with parents afraid of losing programs crucial to their children's education.
RPS parent Tonya Manual called for an end to the blame game.
"Everyone is blaming someone else. The school board blames the state, the state blames the feds, the city blames the formula, we blame teachers and principals, and if you know, you know, the community blames the school board. But blame has not given our students one extra reading teacher, one therapist or one safe classroom. Blame has to stop," Manual said.
The budget process is far from over as the city won't adopt its budget until April and state funding won't be determined until after the General Assembly session, which could supplement some of the district's shortfall. Superintendent Jason Kamras has also agreed to forego any bonus or pay raises for himself.
Watch: Richmond educators speak out on proposed budget cuts: 'It makes no sense'
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