Mock+bake+sale+helps+TEACH+raise+awareness+of+education+cuts

=By Stacy Lee= =Published by the McKeesport Daily News= =4/17/12= = = = = =The Tell Everyone All Cuts Hurt group had a mock bake sale for public education on Monday afternoon at Munhall Volunteer Fire Co. No. 4.= =TEACH said it would take 343,561,144 cookies sold at 50 cents apiece to pay for the $171,780,572 that the state cut from school budgets in Southwestern Pennsylvania.= =While cookies weren't being sold, they were given out to people who signed a letter that TEACH will send to Gov. Tom Corbett in Harrisburg, opposing education cuts.= =The cookies were donated by numerous organizations, businesses and individuals.= ="What we're hoping this event does overall is continue to promote awareness and educate the people and voters to see their rights are being taken away from them," TEACH co-founder Jill Fleming-Salopek said. "Our rights are being jeopardized by cuts to education. It's not just K-12 education, but also higher education. Although the primary election is about a week away, we want to continue to send a message that we're not going away."= =Parent Ray Ross of Munhall said he signed a petition because he doesn't like the state budget cuts to school districts, nor how those cuts are affecting teachers.= ="I wanted to put my 2 cents in," he said. "I vote Republican and I'm still against all of this that's going on."= ="It's great to see so many people come out to support public education," Steel Valley superintendent William Kinavey said.= =TEACH co-founder Steven Singer said the turnout for the "bake sale" exceeded his expectations.= ="I wanted to make sure we could raise awareness in this community," he said.= =Singer said many from West Mifflin attended the TEACH event.= ="It just shows how close these communities are and how our problems are so similar," he said.= =State Rep. Bill Kortz, D-Dravosburg, said the state cuts to education are discriminatory, with Steel Valley receiving $699 less per student for 2011-12 than the previous school year, and Allegheny County's richest school district, Upper St. Clair, losing just $79 per student.= ="It's hurting the children," he said. "It's hurting their education."= ="This is raising awareness about what is actually going on in public education right now and also taking action to do something about it," West Mifflin Area School District superintendent Daniel Castagna said. "If educators shared this type of effort, we would never have gotten to where we are now. In a way, I feel it's long overdue and I'm proud to support this TEACH organization and what they're doing."= ="I came out to support our school system, our teachers and our programs," parent Kim Devine of Munhall said.= =Steel Valley High School principal Bryan Macuga said state budget cuts for education have had a drastic effect on school districts, especially Steel Valley.= ="We want to do everything we can to show we are in support of public education," he said. "Events like this help get the word out."= =Steel Valley business manager Mark Cherpak said the district is looking at losing $167,000 for next school year.= =Despite that, Kinavey said he will not send out furlough letters or lay off teachers this school year.= =TEACH organizer said the inspiration for the mock bake sale idea came from events held by organizations such as Education Voters of Pennsylvania, MoveOn Pittsburgh and Yinzer Nation. Singer said the letter to Corbett is TEACH's idea.= ="TEACH is a great organization," Pennsylvania State Education Association spokesman Butch Santicola said. "There's been too many cuts and it has been impacting these school districts phenomenally."= =Corbett has said the loss of federal stimulus from last year's budget is responsible for decreased education funding.= = = = = = = = Read more: [|Mock bake sale helps TEACH raise awareness of education cuts - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review] [|http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/dailynewsmckeesport/s_791660.html#ixzz1sKYGzm6s] = = = = = = = = = =MOCK BAKE SALE SENDS MESSAGE TO GOVERNOR= =News= =home=