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Teachers pack lunches for students, head to Frankfort to protest budget cuts

Some who can't make it to Frankfort are planning a rally along Mall Road in Florence

Teachers pack lunches for students, head to Frankfort to protest budget cuts

Some who can't make it to Frankfort are planning a rally along Mall Road in Florence

WEBVTT TOMORROW AS KENTUCKY TEACHERSGOOD EVENING, I AM MOLLIE LAIR.THE TEACHERS ARE PROTESTING TODAN GRIFFIN IS IN FLORENCE.REPORTER MANY HERE PACKEDTHEY SAY THEY WILL BE IN>> WE WERE WORRIED TO SOME OFREPORTER: MELISSA AND HERCLASSES ARE CANCELED.TEACHERS WILL BE IN FRANKFURT>> WE ARE NOT GOING TO HAVELIMIT GOING TO HAVE TECHNOLOGY.THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THEYREPORTER FIRST GRADE TEACHER>> THEY NEED TO COME HERE TOTHAT IS ALL THEY SHOULD BEREPORTER FUNDING FOR MANYMORE STUDENTS ARE IN NEED OFA RETIRED TEACHER SAYS A POSTER>> I HAVE SEEN THESE KIDS COMEI HAVE SEEN THESE GETS COME INREPORTER: TONIGHT BOONE COUNTY
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Teachers pack lunches for students, head to Frankfort to protest budget cuts

Some who can't make it to Frankfort are planning a rally along Mall Road in Florence

Some students in Northern Kentucky won't have class Monday as Kentucky teachers load up buses and head to the state Capitol.They are protesting to protect money for schools as lawmakers consider a budget.Sunday afternoon, some school employees packed lunches for students who often rely on the cafeteria for meals.Many at Ockerman Elementary in Florence made lunches for students to pick up on Monday.Teachers said they'll be fighting for their students and their educations in Frankfort as lawmakers could vote on a budget."We were very worried some of our kids would go without breakfast and lunch, since they would normally be here," said Melissa Raper, the school's Family Resource Center Operator.Raper and her colleagues at Ockerman Elementary packed about 500 lunches for students they won't see Monday.Classes are cancelled in Boone County, Kenton County, for Covington Independent Schools and Ludlow Independent Schools, among others statewide.Teachers will be in Frankfort demanding that state lawmakers don't cut money for school programs in the two-year operating budget."We're not going to have textbooks, we're not going to have technology, we're not going to have tutoring services for them. There's so many things that they're proposing to cut that we need," teacher Brittany Isaacs said.She said cuts could impact athletics and band programs, too.Isaacs teaches first-grade students and said 68 percent of Ockerman students live below the poverty line.It's not just food they need, Isaacs said, but access to tools to help them learn."They need to come here, learn their math, learn their science. I mean that's all they should really be worrying about," Isaacs said.Isaacs also said beyond the concern of learning materials, adding school resource officers to their buildings may also be in jeopardy if the budget makes deep cuts."In our county, our board has decided to put a school resource officer in every single school in our county, which is huge. That's not going to happen if these cuts go through," she said.The Kentucky Education Association said funding for many school programs has been on the decline for years, including pre-school and textbooks, but it could get worse.It also said more students are in need of help, even as costs rise.Gail McAdams, a retired teacher turned substitute teacher, said a poster with signatures from students and others showed why the must protest with the KEA tomorrow."I've seen these kids come in hungry. I've seen these kids come in and not have a good home life and we just bring them in, into our arms and we take care of them," McAdams said.Boone County's superintendent said if the governor's proposed budget passes, the school system would take a more than $6 million hit, leading to as many as 110 teachers out of a job.A group of teachers, students and parents who can't make it to Frankfort are planning a rally along Mall Road in Florence on Monday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. They said all are welcome and plan to meet at the parking lot near the Value City Furniture store.Students and their parents will be able to pick up bagged lunches from Ockerman Elementary on Monday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.In Kenton County, Turkeyfoot Middle School and Simon Kenton High School will provide lunches from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for students who want to come and eat.In Ludlow, the cafeteria will provide free bagged lunches to students from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Some students in Northern Kentucky won't have class Monday as Kentucky teachers load up buses and head to the state Capitol.

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They are protesting to protect money for schools as lawmakers consider a budget.

Sunday afternoon, some school employees packed lunches for students who often rely on the cafeteria for meals.

Many at Ockerman Elementary in Florence made lunches for students to pick up on Monday.

Teachers said they'll be fighting for their students and their educations in Frankfort as lawmakers could vote on a budget.

"We were very worried some of our kids would go without breakfast and lunch, since they would normally be here," said Melissa Raper, the school's Family Resource Center Operator.

Raper and her colleagues at Ockerman Elementary packed about 500 lunches for students they won't see Monday.

Classes are cancelled in Boone County, Kenton County, for Covington Independent Schools and Ludlow Independent Schools, among others statewide.

Teachers will be in Frankfort demanding that state lawmakers don't cut money for school programs in the two-year operating budget.

"We're not going to have textbooks, we're not going to have technology, we're not going to have tutoring services for them. There's so many things that they're proposing to cut that we need," teacher Brittany Isaacs said.

She said cuts could impact athletics and band programs, too.

Isaacs teaches first-grade students and said 68 percent of Ockerman students live below the poverty line.

It's not just food they need, Isaacs said, but access to tools to help them learn.

"They need to come here, learn their math, learn their science. I mean that's all they should really be worrying about," Isaacs said.

Isaacs also said beyond the concern of learning materials, adding school resource officers to their buildings may also be in jeopardy if the budget makes deep cuts.

"In our county, our board has decided to put a school resource officer in every single school in our county, which is huge. That's not going to happen if these cuts go through," she said.

The Kentucky Education Association said funding for many school programs has been on the decline for years, including pre-school and textbooks, but it could get worse.

It also said more students are in need of help, even as costs rise.

Gail McAdams, a retired teacher turned substitute teacher, said a poster with signatures from students and others showed why the must protest with the KEA tomorrow.

"I've seen these kids come in hungry. I've seen these kids come in and not have a good home life and we just bring them in, into our arms and we take care of them," McAdams said.

Boone County's superintendent said if the governor's proposed budget passes, the school system would take a more than $6 million hit, leading to as many as 110 teachers out of a job.

A group of teachers, students and parents who can't make it to Frankfort are planning a rally along Mall Road in Florence on Monday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. They said all are welcome and plan to meet at the parking lot near the Value City Furniture store.

Students and their parents will be able to pick up bagged lunches from Ockerman Elementary on Monday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

In Kenton County, Turkeyfoot Middle School and Simon Kenton High School will provide lunches from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for students who want to come and eat.

In Ludlow, the cafeteria will provide free bagged lunches to students from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.