Chanting and waving handmade signs, Richmond-area parents, teachers and children greeted state lawmakers walking into the General Assembly Building yesterday, just before the money committees unveiled their proposed changes to the state's budget.
At one point in the day, about 150 people walked on Ninth Street along the state Capitol grounds urging lawmakers to spare education from deep cuts and to "save our schools, keep the freeze." They packed the sidewalk and, later, the hallway outside the House of Delegates committee meeting area.
The group opposes Gov. Bob McDonnell's recommendation to update the formula the state uses to allocate education dollars. It's a departure from the budget proposal left by outgoing Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, who wanted to freeze the local composite index and delay the readjustment for a year.
The update means millions less for school districts in the Richmond area and across the state, which pressed their local legislators for help. Many Northern Virginia localities stand to gain from an update.
The House budget-writers said yesterday that they are recommending a "hold-harmless" payment to school districts that would lose state funding. The proposal would restore about 80 percent of what they otherwise would lose. The Senate is recommending a full hold-harmless.
Erin Warby turned out yesterday with her two children and a lesson plan.
"I work very hard and stress education to them," said the single mother from Richmond who worked full time while putting herself through college. "I think it's extremely important to teach them that when you don't agree with your elected leaders, it's important to let them know."
Richmond kindergarten teacher Ollie Hill fears that cuts will hit the parts of the school experience that can keep kids engaged -- programs like foreign language and pre-K.
"If you can capture their attention in the early years, then [we] are going to keep kids in school," she said.
Hill stood on Ninth Street yesterday because she wants local elected representatives to understand the message.
"If they don't listen to us now, they will hear from us on Election Day," she said.
Contact Olympia Meola at (804) 649-6812 or omeola@timesdispatch.com.
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