VEA Lobby Day on February 1, 2010
"Keep the Promise to Virginia’s Children" is the overriding theme of VEA’s lobbying efforts during this year’s General Assembly session. Virginia’s Constitution calls on the General Assembly to “ensure that an educational program of high quality is … continually maintained.” On February 1, 2010, myself plus eight PWEA members braved the wintery conditions caused by an unusual Richmond storm and visited Prince William County elected officials to express our concerns about the budget and its’ impact on our students, and to express our concerns about proposed changes to our VRS.
I want to thank PWEA member and VEA vice-president, Meg Gruber, PWEA vice-president and VEA Director, Dave Kinsella, PWEA Region D Director and VEA Director, Jim Livingston, PWEA Elementary At-Large Director, Daniel Foose, past PW PACE Chair, Bruce Smith, past PWEA Board of Director member Diana Bentley, and members Rick Stoppa and Amy Wise for showing up and advocating on behalf of PWEA members.
I do not remember a time in my twenty-six years of teaching and my twenty years of active participation in PWEA/VEA that the stakes have been as high. Our elected officials need to hear from every education employee in PWCS. The 79 million budget shortfall will result in over 700 lost jobs. Please join our Keep the Promise campaign. Go to www.supportvirginiaschools.com to stand up for public education.
By Bonnie Klakowicz, PWEA President