Guilford County educators rally in support of increased local funding for public schools

Dozens of educators marched through downtown Greensboro Thursday afternoon, chanting and holding signs calling on the Guilford County Board of Commissioners to increase funding for public schools. 

Anita Dawkins, a second grade teacher at the Guilford County Association of Educators rally, says without more money, people are going to leave the school system. 

“It’s going to be an outpour of people leaving education because it's very hard," Dawkins said. "I have colleagues that work two and three jobs, even myself. And it doesn't make any sense.”

The group marched to the county courthouse for a public hearing on Guilford’s proposed budget. While about half of the funds are allocated for education, it still falls short of the district’s request. 

School officials have said that as it stands, there won’t be adequate funding for teacher raises, security equipment or capital projects. 

Speakers at the rally, like Tessa Pendley, talked about how important those investments are to employees, but also students. 

“We see the devastating impact that efforts to defund and de-prioritize public education have on our students," Pendley said. "These are students who already face compounding issues of racism, classism, and ableism.”

The rally also included a performance by the activist group, the Piedmont Raging Grannies.  

Members moved inside for the start of the county commissioners meeting and delivered a petition with 2,300 signatures.

Before the budget hearing began, Guilford County Commissioner Mary Beth Murphy read a statement of the board’s support for education. But she said it’s the state that needs to make more of an investment.

“This failure of our state government to adequately fund public schools, which is their constitutional mandate, leaves local governments and ultimately Guilford County taxpayers in an impossible position," Murphy said.

The Board of Commissioners will vote on the proposed budget later this month. 

Amy Diaz covers education for WFDD in partnership with Report For America. You can follow her on Twitter at @amydiaze.