Fairfax County Parents Protest School Funding Cuts

January 25, 2010

MCLEAN, Va. – A group of Fairfax County parents frustrated by the threat of cuts to school funding held a rare weekend rally in an effort to get lawmakers in Richmond to listen.

More than 100 families showed up at Churchill Road Elementary School in McLean Sunday to sign petitions and write letter to law makers, telling them that funding cuts and freezing the local composite index will cripple the Fairfax County school system.

The goal is to send the signed letters to Governor Bob McDonnell.

"We do understand that cuts need to be made, we just think that were are not the first place," said Nancy Senich, a parent.

Jon Bernstein says he moved to Fairfax County for the school system, and has two daughters enrolled at Churchill Road Elementary. He feels he’s invested in their education, and was concerned when school officials recently announced budget cuts of more than $170 million.

"If the schools go downhill here, corporations stop relocating here, and the entire Commonwealth begins to lose revenue," Bernstein said.

But the immediate concern is what will happen in the classroom.

"This is my first grader. She has a class filled with 30 kids and its supposed to get worse next year," Bernstein explained.

On top of cuts within the school system, the state is also considering freezing the county’s share of tax revenues of $61 million.

"We’ve played by the rules all these years and for once, now that were actually supposed to get funding, they want to change that," said Cat Lippman, PTA president.

Parents say they plan on holding more rallies in the future, or even head to Richmond to get lawmakers to listen.