State Sen. Pat Pettey, D-6th Dist., stated today that the announcement from the governor about budget cuts to public schools “proved our children’s future is not a priority.”
Sen. Pettey was asked for a reaction to the governor’s announcement. Sen. Pettey, a retired teacher from the Turner Public Schools, stated:
“If anyone was still holding out hope that the governor would not support reducing the state budget on the backs of our Kansas children yesterday proved our children’s future is not a priority. Our Wyandotte County schools are losing nearly $2 million dollars out of their 2015 budget. Our school boards will do everything they can to finish out this school year with as little direct impact on the classroom learning. They cannot continue on this path without the funding the school formula says they should be receiving.
“When the governor blamed the purchase of a piano as taking money from the classroom he was being totally dishonest and he knows it. No capital outlay money can be used for salaries. Replacing an instrument that has been in use for 50 years actually says KCK is very prudent with their money. This is just another example of the efforts being made to blacken the image of Kansas Public Education. Education is the key for students to be career and college ready. It is our state’s constitutional responsibility,” Sen. Pettey stated.
A listing of the budget cuts by the state showed a cut of $1.39 million to the Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools; a cut of $250,847 to the Turner Public Schools; a cut of $95,680 to the Piper Public Schools; and a cut of $143,152 to the Bonner Springs Public Schools.
The budget cuts to all Kansas public schools may be seen online at http://budget.ks.gov/files/FY2015/Governor_Allotment_BSAPP_Redux_Calc–02-05-2015.pdf.
To see an earlier story, visit https://wyandotteonline.com/governor-cuts-education-44-5-million/