Mount Vernon — Congress is currently debating our country’s budget right now, but education does not seem to be a top priority.
In Virginia alone, primary and secondary education has lost $14 million in funding, putting over 190 teachers and aides at risk for losing their jobs. As a graduate of the Virginia Public School System, I had supportive teachers who were given resources that enabled them to help students succeed.
Today, we face the risk of losing those resources, especially for programs like Head Start and Special Education. My youngest brother is autistic and in the fifth grade in a Fairfax County Public school. Throughout his education, he has had amazing teachers who gave him the tools he needed to succeed, including most recently with his SOLs. He was having trouble taking tests with the computer, becoming easily flustered and confused. His teacher worked with the school administration to allow him to take his standardized tests using pen and paper on a separate schedule from the other kids, which gave him more comfort.
If the education budget takes away funding from the schools, the children will suffer because teachers will no longer have the resources to spend their time or energy on the students. I hope that decision makers on this budget, like U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, will seriously consider the implications of cutting funding for education.
Rachelle Husband