Teachers and parents gathered outside the Montgomery County Council building to protest potential cuts to education funding as councilmembers began work on next year’s budget. The crowd demanded that education not be sacrificed to cuts. Kindergarten teacher and treasurer for the Montgomery County Education Association, Kember Kane, emphasized the impact of cuts on human resources like paraeducators and special educators, crucial for student support.
County Executive Marc Elrich proposed a $250 million increase to the education budget, the largest ever in county history but still short of the $284 million requested by the superintendent. Teachers like Alesha Drain and Maya Wolf stressed the importance of full funding in order to provide the necessary resources and staff for students, especially those with special needs.
Councilmember Will Jawando, a former MCPS student and parent, expressed support for the teachers’ demands and emphasized the need to prioritize education funding despite challenges at the federal level. The council will need to find a balance to meet the teachers’ demands while minimizing tax increases or service cuts. The budget is set to be approved on May 22.
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