Local lawmakers urge residents to speak out about education cuts
Local legislators urged residents on Thursday to stand up and be heard against the deep cuts in education that resulted from the governor’s budget this year.
“You’ve got to engage tactfully,” said state Rep. Bill DeWeese, D-Waynesburg. “If we don’t, we will be playing patty cake for the next three years.”
DeWeese was joined by state Reps. Tim Mahoney, D-South Union Township; Deberah Kula, D-North Union Township; and Peter J. Daley, D-California; as well as state Sen. Rich Kasunic, D-Dunbar; and Norman Hasbrouck, special assistant to California University of Pennsylvania president Angelo Armenti Jr., and a school board director in the California Area School District during a public meeting held at Laurel Highlands High School. The event was organized by Tom Landman, a teacher at the middle school in the district.
In a similar meeting in July, legislators told attendees that the democratic voice was not heard when it came time to pass the budget due to the process of “majority rules.”
“We are not going to change anything until we get to the ballot box,” Mahoney said. “We need to take the House back. We are trying to make you all understand that this has to be a grassroots effort to change the makeup of the legislation.”
Don Arnold, technology education teacher at Laurel Highlands, told the lawmakers that declining interest in public education “isn’t a road block. It’s a dead end for us.”
“How this all happened was just by a vote. It was something that simple that did so much damage,” he said. “We can solve this by pulling levers at the polls to get the vote back.”
Legislators also told those at the meeting the most effective way to have their voice heard was to go directly to offices of Republican lawmakers and events where the governor plans to stop to peacefully rally against any further cuts in education.
“Everybody watches the news. You will get free media time by appearing where Corbett is that day,” Kula said. “For all of you, create the news you have within your own districts. It’s the best way to get your message out.”
Landman said he plans to begin a petition that he hopes circulates across the state that will gain the attention of lawmakers who are in favor of decreasing the funding in education.
“We are hoping to get a million signatures on this petition,” Landman said. “This is about people who cannot battle for themselves. This is about the kids. Our silence on what’s taking place will be our approval of what they are doing in education.”