Local+schools+join+Harrisburg+rally+against+cuts

=By Stacy Lee= =//Published in the McKeesport Daily News//= =//6/15/11//= = = = = =Teachers, administrators, students and community members from school districts throughout the state traveled to Harrisburg with a message about proposed education cuts in the state budget.= =Staff and students from South Allegheny and Steel Valley school districts were among approximately 100 attending the Save Our Schools Rally Tuesday afternoon on the steps of the Capitol in Harrisburg.= ="We basically wanted to get the legislators to understand what impact it will have on our schools in the Mon Valley if education funding is cut," South Allegheny superintendent Wayne Gdovic said.= =He said South Allegheny could see a budget cut of approximately $1.5 million.= =Forty-eight people representing South Allegheny and Steel Valley made the trip to Harrisburg Tuesday.= =Pennsylvania Coach Lines donated a bus and some traveled in vehicles behind it. Other school districts participating were Midd-West and Harrisburg.= =State Reps. Jim Brewster, D-McKeesport, Marc Gergely, D-White Oak, Bill Kortz, D-Dravosburg, and Joe Markosek, D-Monroeville, were among the speakers at the rally.= ="They mirrored the sentiment of both local school districts on the budget," Gdovic said.= =Some rally attendees visited state Sen. John Pippy, R-Moon Township, and state Rep. Rick Saccone, R-Elizabeth Township.= =Steel Valley teacher Christy Ruffing said Saccone stood his ground and Pippy said the school districts wouldn`t be getting any more state funding.= =Steel Valley schools are facing a state education funding cut of approximately $4.5 million with the current state budget.= =The Steel Valley teachers spearheaded a Tell Everyone All Cuts Hurt group to raise awareness of the devastating consequences of the planned education cuts in Gov. Tom Corbett`s proposed budget.= =Midd-West High School teacher Jim Dent organized the rally with principal Cynthia Hutchinson.= ="We had a lot of help from other people," he said.= =Dent said they contacted other school district staff by email blasts and Facebook about the rally.= ="We felt as not only teachers and students, but as citizens, that we were shocked by the state budget proposal," he said. "In the end, it`s about the kids` future and them having the opportunity to do something they love."= = Read more: [|Local schools join Harrisburg rally against cuts - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review] [] =

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