Students voice concerns about budget cuts

Hundreds attend forum with board

Angered and confused by inevitable school budget cuts, several hundred Boston public schools students gathered yesterday afternoon at English High School in Jamaica Plain to question their representatives and propose their own money-saving ideas.

"We felt that only adults have had a say, but this is mainly affecting the youth, and they should have a say in this," said Samantha Brea, 15, of Snowden International High School and a member of the Hyde Square Task Force. "I feel it's been a good turnout, mostly youth, to show that we care, that we are not selfish."

Five youth-serving organizations, including the task force, proposed the idea for, and led, the two-hour budget forum before the School Committee and Superintendent Carol R. Johnson.

The Hyde Square Task Force, based in Jamaica Plain, provides community-building and youth development activities for young adults.

The forum was driven by student concerns over how budget cuts would affect their college preparation, said Lorena Lopera, community organizer for Sociedad Latina, a Roxbury social club dedicated to helping Latino youth discover what is positive within themselves and their community.

Audience members asked the panel about layoffs, program cuts, how budget money is used, where it comes from, and how students can influence some of the board's decisions.

One student asked whether the school lunch program could be cut, contending that few students participate. She asked because her grandmother, who works for the school system, is facing layoffs and is the family's only source of income.

David Magrass, a junior at Boston Latin, said he did not understand why arts programs were facing cuts, while unpopular classes in the classics were still being offered.

"How can we as a student body affect these decisions?" he asked the panel.

Helen Dájer, a member of the School Committee, promised students that if they gained enough support to bring a proposal to the board, she would work to make the change.

City Councilor and mayoral candidate Sam Yoon said he found the event "tremendous and inspiring," but believed it would have "limited influence on the school budget" because the students were not targeting "the right person."

"The most important person in this debate is the mayor because the mayor himself decides how much revenue the schools get," Yoon said.

Johnson reassured students that the committee is working to make cuts in the central office to avoid layoffs of teachers, "because we think that is a very important part of making sure you get exactly what you need."

She also outlined money-saving tactics the committee has proposed, including elementary school closings and improved conservation of utilities.

In addition, Johnson said the board has utilized resources, including Mayor Thomas M. Menino, who wrote a letter to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan asking for help in prioritizing resources.

But Marchelle Raynor, a member of the School Committee, interjected, reminding board members that the purpose of the forum was to discuss alternative tactics.

"We may have to dig deep and find new paradigms to educate ourselves," she said.

The School Committee is scheduled to vote on the budget proposal March 25. If approved, the budget would then be submitted to the mayor, who would incorporate it into his budget proposal for City Council approval.