Teachers, parents vent

By Tracy Bell

Published: May 28, 2008

STAFFORD — The Stafford County School Board met Tuesday, drawing parents and other proponents of a Spanish program at Hampton Oaks Elementary School that is in danger of being cut.

Fifteen people spoke during the citizen comment section of the meeting - mostly teachers asking the school board to support them in their quest to earn more money and greater support during their Work to Rule protest, and others who simply want the Spanish program at Hampton Oaks to go on.  The meeting, held at the Alvin York Bandy Administrative Complex along Stafford Ave, drew Hampton Oaks Elementary parents including Diane Howard, who has three children.

Howard said the Spanish program started about 10 years ago as a pilot and is something that should be expanded to other schools — not discontinued. Although the program is in danger of being cut, many parents who’ve found the program beneficial say that they want their children to continue it, and they want the school board to fight to keep it.

Also at the meeting, Stafford teachers unhappy with conditions at their schools — namely not enough money, too much work and too little appreciation —has resulted in many of them speaking out.

A group of them wore red shirts to stand in unity at the meeting. They read, “Fund Our Schools, Fund Our Future.” Others held posters and signs, or applauded fellow speakers.  Lucy Burns, a teacher at Hartwood Elementary School, told the school board: “You have not fought for us… “but she noted of fellow teachers, “This issue has brought us together."” Burns said that although red, the color of the shirts, is not her favorite color, she vowed to be wearing it at the beginning of the fall school year.

“This is not going away,” Burns said. “We’re going to be wearing red again.”