Letter to the editor: Show support for public schools Friday

Letter to the Editor

Virginia Education Association President Kitty Boitnott has declared Friday, February 17 a Day of Mourning. Association members state wide have been asked to wear black on this date to “illustrate your collective mourning over the attack that has been launched against Virgnia's teachers and students by legislators.”

In Prince William County, employee compensation has languished for four years, and the recently proposed school budget allocates no funds for salary increases as far out as year 2015. Public school employees do NOT place the blame on the school division or school board and neither should the public. Any organized actions taken by employees must NOT be misconstrued by the public or press!

It is imperative to understand that the school division has NO taxing authority. The division neither establishes the tax rate nor collects revenue. In other words, while the Board of County Supervisors does not dictate the manner in which the school division allocates funds, they most certainly control the strength of the revenue stream and the overall size of the “pot” the school division has to spend. This is a critical distinction.

Richmond, too, cannot be held blameless. The General Assembly is making Virginia less attractive to teachers by attempting to lengthen the provisional license period while reducing retirement benefits and continuing to under fund public education. Is this what the founding fathers wished? Is this what YOU want for Virginia’s children? Remember: they will become Virginia’s future leaders, workforce, and citizenry.

I urge all public school educators, union members or not, to participate in the Day of Mourning. If you are a student or a relative of a child attending a Virginia public school, please support this effort as well. Finally, to the community at-large, will you help the teaching community “black out” Virginia to get the attention of our elected officials, both local and in Richmond? If you support your local public schools, the students and employees, please encourage your family, friends, co-workers, and other acquaintances to wear black on Friday, February 17th. Let the entire country know that Virginia supports public education!

Megan S. Link
Manassas