Teachers Tell Stratford Officials Education Is an Investment, Not a Liability

Stop cutting education.

That was the message from students, parents, teachers, and community members who rallied this week against funding cuts that jeopardize the future of Stratford’s children and public education. The proposed cuts, which would eliminate programs and resources students need and result in larger class sizes, include

• Dozens of teaching positions, among them
  • 2 high school librarians
  • 7 elementary school librarians
  • 3 math coaches
  • 15 reading coaches
• Classroom teachers, support staff, and administration of the district’s Alternative High School Program
• Multiple subject area coordinators and assistant principals
• Special education clinical and out-of-district placements and supplies
• Science of reading funding, including books and other instructional supplies
• Workshops and professional development opportunities

More than two dozen teachers, parents, students, and residents took their turn at the microphone at Monday night’s board of education meeting and gave impassioned speeches urging the board to put students first and treat education as an investment, not a liability.

“Our students need more resources, not fewer, and our budget must reflect our mission and our values,” said Stratford Education Association President Michael Fiorello.

SEA Vice Presidents Kristen Record and Robin Juliano stood in solidarity with Fiorello as he reminded the board, “By making cuts preemptively, we are in danger of creating a race-to-the-bottom budget.”

Stratford Academy certified school librarian Dawn Giannotta, who serves 550 students per week, told the board, “Eliminating school librarians and crucial support staff is not the solution to our budget crisis; it’s a recipe for an academic crisis.”

She explained that certified school librarians help students become 21st century learners, teaching technology research skills, digital citizenship, and STEM activities and providing key support for college and career readiness, among many other functions.

Stratford High School students Kaylin Cawley and Grace Miron-Dominguez detailed how harmful these cuts would be, telling board members that they feel like “political ping-pong balls.”

“Drastically cutting or threatening to cut serious programs or services makes us look like a joke and sends a message to students that education is not a priority in Stratford,” said Miron-Dominguez. “Taking away our resources will only keep us below the status quo and damage our education.”

She urged the board to listen to students. “We, the students, are in the thick of it every day. You are just looking at it as numbers on paper, but it goes far beyond that. The needs in our schools are ever-changing and we must invest to stay competitive. I implore you to look at our education system from a lens that investing in the future is a necessity, as the investment in our education will have long-lasting effects on our economy and tax base.”

Both Cawley and Stratford parent Rebecca Cardoso spoke to the positive impacts librarians have on student learning, arguing that cutting certified, trained librarians would be a major disservice to Stratford students.

Michael Suntag, chair of the Stratford-based coalition Citizens Addressing Racial Equity, told board members that the proposed cuts disproportionately impact the town’s most vulnerable populations and neediest students, “creating greater racial inequities in our schools.”“The town must be about meeting the individual needs of every child; that is the definition of equity,” he said. “Cuts to librarians, reading specialists, and others fall more heavily on those parents and children who cannot shoulder the reduction of the personnel and resources they need. Our families who are struggling to provide for their children cannot offset the disadvantages the cuts will foster. Many, who are disproportionately children and families of color, cannot recover and will be left behind.”

Last night, despite protests from hundreds of teachers, parents, and students, the board of education voted 4-3 along party lines in favor of a budget with the proposed cuts.

“We are asking for a visionary budget that supports the families of Stratford,” said Fiorello. “The budget should not be status quo, bare bones, or a race to the bottom, but an investment document that reveals our highest values.”

He highlighted additional opportunities for teachers to reach out to the mayor and town council before the budget is finalized. Mayor Laura Hoydick is expected to present the budget to the town council in the coming days.