Parents, Teachers Voice Concerns At School Budget Protest In North Philadelphia
By Tim Jimenez
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Hundreds of parents, teachers and local groups gathered in North Philadelphia. The topic of discussion: Budget cuts to the School District of Philadelphia.
At Bright Hope Baptist Church, community group Action United joined residents speaking against cuts from the state and local level to education.
Their message: Schools should be built up, not stripped down. An example many cited; less money for prisons, more for education explains parent Roland Ferguson.
"We feel that could easily be diverted to school education or school reform as opposed to preparing our youth for a prison system, how about investing in them and training them and giving them a leg up."
Cuts not only to programs and equipment but staff like school nurses, making it harder for students and district nurses like Eileen Duffy.
"We're being treated as a warm body. Some schools have five different nurses, five different days. No continuity, it simply is not working."
A large rally is planned for Wednesday afternoon in front of the school district building.
