Minneapolis teachers call school district's proposed budget cuts "emotional blackmail"
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis teachers sounded off Thursday on the district's proposed budget cuts, calling it "emotional blackmail" that targets some of the district's most vulnerable students.
This is all coming as the district and its teachers are in mediation for a new contract deal.
According to the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers, the union and the district have met to negotiate 12 times already without a deal.
Over the proposed two-year deal, the union says it is asking for an 8.5% raise for teachers in year one, and a 7.5% raise in year two.
Minneapolis Public Schools says it's dealing with what it calls a "historic" budget shortfall of at least $110 million. But teachers aren't buying it, saying that number doesn't include funding from the state or money for incoming students.
The district unveiled a potential plan to balance the budget this week, which included cuts to fifth-grade music classes, assistant principal positions, specialists for literacy and math and less funding for other programs.
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"You cannot cut your way into being a world-class district, you simply can't," said MFT Vice President Marcia Howard. "The cuts to music programs in elementary school, it does not make sense. Not if we're going to be the district that we say that we are."
In a written statement to WCCO, a district spokesperson wrote, "School and department leadership are working hard to find ways to make cuts while also keeping our students at the center."
"The district will have the money. They say it every single year," Howard said.
The Minneapolis Federation of Teachers is blaming the budget shortfalls on the district's reckless spending. The union says the administration
