Vermont students urge residents to pass school budgets ahead of another round of revotes
As school districts across Vermont face more challenges in trying to pass revised budgets for next year, students are making their voices heard
As school districts across Vermont face more challenges in trying to pass revised budgets for next year, students are making their voices heard
As school districts across Vermont face more challenges in trying to pass revised budgets for next year, students are making their voices heard
School communities in Vermont were out in full force Monday to encourage voters to approve their school budgets, ahead of another round of votes scheduled for this week.
For some districts, this will be their third time casting votes after a third of the state's school districts voted down budgets on Town Meeting Day.
With time running out for many schools to finalize next year's budget, students took to the streets to call on voters to allow the process to move forward.
Students at South Burlington High School organized a walkout, calling on their community to pass the school budget for next year ahead of its third budget vote Tuesday.
"As a student who is hoping to get further education and who cares so much about all of these programs that are at risk, it's definitely been a pretty scary time," said Molly Leavey, a student with the South Burlington Student Justice Union.
The South Burlington School District is now proposing a budget of just over $68 million, a roughly $3.1 million reduction compared to the original proposal on Town Meeting Day.
"I think we need people to hear us," said Ashton Kinney with the South Burlington Student Justice Union.
Students said they are hoping their demonstration will send a message to voters.
"Really just demonstrating to the community that this is something that really matters to us," said Leavey.
In Essex Junction, parents, students, and members from the Essex Westford School District held a honk and wave event calling on people to come out and vote.
The school district said the revised budget is $4.5 million less than the first time around.
Some of that money was expected to go towards capital improvements like building upgrades, but those projects have been pushed to next year.
District leaders said they believe they've accomplished a more balanced budget.
"We want folks to be informed and engage voters [to] come tomorrow. Obviously, there's concerns for certain staff, for certain programs. We did our best to honor the community's wishes and we want people to take a look and learn from themselves," said Marlon Varasamy, the EWSD board clerk.
Voters in both districts will be deciding on their budgets Tuesday, and many are hoping this is the final time they will have to cast their votes this year.