DC School Employees Demand Resources

"You can't have a top-rated school system unless you invest the money in people and resources," Teamsters Local 730 Secretary-Treasurer John Woodall testified at a Nov. 15 public hearing on the DC school system's budget. School employees urged Chancellor Michelle Rhee to double the operations budget to end staff shortages and provide desperately-needed equipment and supplies. Well-staffed and well-equipped schools are important steps in helping children get the best education, the workers, members of Teamsters Local 639 and 730, told the Chancellor in front of a packed hearing at school system headquarters. With the school system short over 500 custodians and scores of engineers and repair workers, the workers are calling for a $33 million increase in the operations budget to bring staffing levels up to industry standards.  "In recent years, those in charge of the schools failed to put money into the budget to support the heating, cleaning and repairing of school buildings,” said Woodall. “I hope that Chancellor Rhee will be different." Click here to read the testimony submitted by union members. - reported by Roger Newell