Re: “Federal education cuts hit WA schools hard” (July 3, Schooling Lab):
As a father or mother with two sons in Seattle Public Faculties, I’m disgusted by the continued efforts to dismantle public training — now reaching a harmful new degree with the proposal in Congress to slash $12 billion from training within the appropriations finances invoice. Our faculty district would lose $9-plus million, in line with the nonpartisan Schooling Legislation Middle ($209-plus million to Washington state). These cuts are a large assault on our youngsters’s future.
My sons have realized a number of devices and completely different languages, they’ve visited the college nurse and we’ve met with college counselors. These are sometimes a number of the first applications to go, together with technical units which have made for extra versatile studying.
These cuts would additionally put key providers in danger, together with after-school and summer season applications, lecturers, psychological well being providers, emergency preparedness and particular training assist. And they might disproportionately influence lower-income faculties the place providers are desperately wanted.
If we’re severe about guaranteeing high quality training for all college students, not simply the wealthiest, we should reject efforts to defund our public faculties. Help Washington Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, and U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, of their opposition to federal cuts and to spend money on strengthening our public faculties.
Kelly Winter, Seattle

