FORT PIERCE — Faced with unprecedented cuts to public schools, St. Lucie County teachers, school board members and community leaders are gathering Saturday to pressure legislators to “put kids first and cut education last.”

More than 1,000 people are expected to attend a rally and march at the school board offices on Okeechobee Road. They plan to gather at 9:30 a.m. and march at 10.

With state budget cuts, St. Lucie County schools lost about $23 million for the 2008-09 school year and are estimated to lose another $30 million in the 2009-10 school year, said Superintendent Michael Lannon.

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Treasure Coast educators facing both the prospect of a 10 percent cut in next year’s state education funds and a deadline to reduce student-teacher class ratios in every classroom say something’s got to give.
They want Tallahassee lawmakers to let them spend millions of dollars earmarked to hire more teachers on school operating expenses.
If they can’t, local school districts say services to students and their families will need to be cut next school year.
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