statewide rallies against potential school cuts

statewide rallies against potential school cuts

Six... here's meorologistcontinue to rt potential cuts in state aid to school districts.

One of those rallies today began in rome and ended in utica.

News channel two's gary liberatore has more.

The day started in rome at fort stanwix and ended at the state office building in utica...but the message was the same in each city.... (muslima ali, 2015 proctor high school graduate) .

None .

None tc : 51:25 "i know what its like first hand how its like going to a public school and for a school not to have a lot of funding.

For instants i remember being in chemistry and i had a regents that year but we didnt have enough supplies for a lab."

Students, parents teachers and even union leaders fear what would happen if governor cuomo's proposed 20 percent cut in state aid to schools.

(rob wood, president of the rome teachers association) tc : 54:24 "most school districts are already short and whatth ney needed services such as emotional and social needs for children so were going to lose our social workers and our guidance counselors and the encore things that children really need, sports programs. so the cuts are going to be extremely negative impact jewel for the children across the state."

This is one of many similar rallies across the state on saturday....they also took place in buffalo, rochester, albany, kingston and new york city.

All urging state leaders to do whatever they have to...to get governor cuomo not to institute the 20 percent cut to schools.

Senator joe griffo weighed in on saturday... tc : 00:12 "my understanding right now is that the governor is withholding money, whether or not he ultimately decides to cut remains to be seen, unfortunately under the budget that was approved, that i voted against, there was authority given to him to make decisions accordingly in context of a pandemic.

Also the legislature has the ability to return within 10 days after he files a report to alter any of those decisions."

"he has not made an official report yet and is urging the leader ship in both houses to engage the governor and make a determination as to whether he is abiding by the legislation to be passed."

These education activists say they will keep their fight up....and say don't get fooled by the small numbers that turned out on saturday, they purposely had a small group due to covid.

Tc : 56:56 "were taking the safe approach but in the coming weeks there will be activism across the state were taking the safe approach but in the coming weeks there will be activism across the state."

In utica, gary