Schools

Teachers Rally Through Rain

Teachers and supporters rallied to protest the proposed school budget.

A large group of teachers and their supporters gathered at the intersection of the Prince William Parkway Friday afternoon with umbrellas in one hand and signs in the other.

The teachers were rallying to protest the Prince William County School Superintendent's proposed 2013 budget, which did not include any teacher pay raises. Associate Superintendent David Cline said at a Feb. 6 meeting that no raises were likely for 2014 or 2015 either.

Holley Sheffel, a Battlefield High School teacher who has taught in Prince William County for nine years, organized the Friday rally. She said the teachers understand that the proposed budget has not been adopted yet, but that they want their input to be heard now. "If we don't have our voices heard now, decisions will be made without our influence," she said.

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Teachers and supporters held signs saying "Rally for a world-class education." Many drivers passing by the rally honked and waved in support of the rally.

As of 3:30 p.m. about 50 people were gathered at the intersection, and Sheffel said she was expecting about 100 total to show up before the rally ended at 6 p.m.

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Scheffel said that the main issues were teacher compensation and large class sizes. "We have the largest class sizes in the state, in the ninth wealthiest county in the nation," she said. That makes it difficult for teachers to do their job and for students to gain the kind of education they need, she argued.

Scheffel would like the school system to find ways to save money in order to spend on more important areas, and would like to see a petition to Gov. Bob McDonnell to reinstate the cost-of-competing funds cut in his state budget proposal.

Keith Reeves, an Arlington County teacher who used to teach in Prince William County, said he came to the rally to show solidarity with Prince William teachers. Reeves said he moved because he couldn't afford to stay in Prince William County any longer. "Arlington is an entirely different world," he said. He said that Prince William County has the resources to provide better education but needs to make education more of a priority.

"Things are hard enough," Reeves said. "It shouldn't be this hard."


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