Dallas Letter-Writing Campaign Fights Education Funding Cuts
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Nine-year-old Julia Hunt knows exactly what she wants to do when she grows up.
"I want to write books or be a reporter in the newspaper," the third-grader said.
On Sunday, she practiced both by writing a letter about an issue that's been in the news: Dwindling public education funding.
"I will just think they are trying to take away our education," she said.
Julia asked Gov. Rick Perry to avoid cutting public education funding. It was part of a letter-writing campaign at a North Dallas Taco Cabana restaurant on Sunday.
A parent group called Stand Up for Dallas Schools organized it. Daysi Rivas learned of the event through an e-mail.
"I came here to support the education for my kids," Rivas said, who has a son in the seventh grade. She is concerned about the possibility of increased class sizes.
"I think he's not going to get the attention," Rivas said.
Lori Foster, who has two children in DISD schools, said legislators need to find a permanent solution to education funding.
"Even if they use the Rainy Day fund to fill it this year, we're going to be right back in the same boat in two years," she said. "There's a gap in the budget that created this hole and they have done nothing to fill that hole."
As for Julia, she said she hopes lawmakers listen to her words so when she grows up, she'll have the skills she need to keep on writing.
"For a writer, you have to learn how to type and write well," she said.
