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Thousands rally for state education funding
by Tim Pugmire, Minnesota Public Radio
March 1, 2005

Thousands of parents, teachers and students rallied at the Capitol Monday, calling for more state funding for public schools. (MPR Photo/tim Pugmire)

Nearly 6,000 people gathered outside the state Capitol Monday to show their support of public schools. Parents, teachers and students from throughout Minnesota urged lawmakers to increase state funding for K-12 education. They say more money is needed soon to prevent further budget cuts in their local school districts.

St. Paul, Minn. — The story is similar in school districts throughout Minnesota. School boards are cutting programs, laying off teachers and raising activity fees, all because state funding hasn't kept pace with operating costs.

Phill Enke of Duluth, president of the Minnesota Parent Teacher Association, says he talks to members across the state and hears similar complaints.

"They're sick and tired of bake sales," Enke says. "They're sick and tired of running levy referendums. They're sick and tired of bringing catalogs to work and begging co-workers to buy wrapping paper and scented candles."

The rally was organized by the Alliance for Student Achievement, an umbrella group that includes the Minnesota PTA and eight other statewide education organizations. Enke and other speakers called on elected officials to make public education a top funding priority.

Students are also growing frustrated by the financial problems hitting their schools. Jon Kent, a high school senior from Hopkins, challenged lawmakers to try to cope with the type of shortages found in many schools.

"I ask you senators and representatives, are you forced to squeeze a bill on tax codes onto a single page, double sided if you're lucky?," Kent asked.

But budget cuts mean more than paper shortages or crowded classrooms. Many students say they've also lost learning opportunities they once enjoyed.

Jayna Flanders, an eighth grader at Paynesville Middle School, says she can no longer be in the band and the choir, because a summer science class was eliminated. She says her school also cut its marching band.

"We had an awesome marching band and we went to lots of competitions, and won a lot of competitions. And I had a lot of families and friends who went and watched them," Flanders says. "It was really disappointing to see all the hard work they put into it, then they decided we couldn't have that any more because there wasn't enough money."

Flanders says she took a long school bus ride and stood in the cold to show how much she cares about public schools. She says she hopes state leaders are paying attention.

State Education Commissioner Alice Seagren says she's listening, and so is Gov. Pawlenty. She says the governor's proposal to fund and reform K-12 education is a strong one. His budget would increase the basic funding formula by 2 percent each of the next two years, while sticking to his pledge not to raise taxes.

Many parents and educators say that's not enough to prevent further cuts. Seagren says the latest state revenue forecast, which shows a smaller than expected budget deficit, might allow the governor to expand his education funding proposal.

"It's certainly probably not going to address all the parents' concerns," Seagren says. "But I think we're really trying our very best, within the governor's principles, to give schools more money. The governor will have to make those decisions within the next two or three days, and he will be doing that, and I'll be working with him to help him on that." Seagren says Gov. Pawlenty will present a supplemental budget proposal within the next week.