A grassroots effort brought out hundreds of people in Cobb County on Monday to weigh in on the school district's budget shortfall. They hope to pressure Georgia lawmakers to release more money for the Cobb County School District.
Funding Awareness Campaign for Education (FACE), an organization of school council members from the district, held the meeting at Dodgen Middle School to discuss the $80 budget deficit.
Organizers of the meeting said their effort is probing ways to address the district's money problems of its annual $830 million budget, including reaching out to lawmakers.
"Things that will help our legislators give us the power to solve our own problems," said David Schwartz of FACE.
Past cuts have left teachers with unpaid furlough days and larger classroom size, according to Scott Sweeney of the Cobb County School Board.
Brian Wilson, a sixth-grade social studies teacher at Dodgen Middle School said overcrowding poses a big challenge.
"You come in here and you do what you can. You see the students in front of you and they need to learn," Wilson said.
The county has a special election on March 19 to decide whether to renew a 1-cent sales tax to raise money for education purposes. FACE organizers said they aren't counting on that tax completely and they'll continue their efforts to tackle the budget problems.
Friday, May 24 2013 10:14 AM EDT2013-05-24 14:14:44 GMT
A judge has sentenced Michael Parson to the maximum of 35 years in jail for the attempted murder of his wife. On Thursday, Parson was convicted of shooting his wife, Adina, eight times in 2012.
A judge has sentenced Michael Parson to the maximum of 35 years in jail for the attempted murder of his wife. On Thursday, Parson was convicted of shooting his wife, Adina, eight times outside their Sandy Springs apartment in 2011.
Friday, May 24 2013 9:52 AM EDT2013-05-24 13:52:10 GMT
The jury has found Michael Parson guilty on all eight counts in the shooting of his wife outside their Sandy Springs apartment.The woman, Adina Parson, survived after being shot eight times.
The jury has found Michael Parson guilty on all eight counts in the shooting of his wife outside their Sandy Springs apartment.The woman, Adina Parson, survived after being shot eight times.
Friday, May 24 2013 9:40 AM EDT2013-05-24 13:40:32 GMT
Families of city workers are back at Atlanta City Hall this morning for a second day of protests. They're demanding bigger pay raises for police, firefighters and other first responders.
Families of city workers are back at Atlanta City Hall this morning for a second day of protests. They're demanding bigger pay raises for police, firefighters and other first responders.
Friday, May 24 2013 9:23 AM EDT2013-05-24 13:23:38 GMT
A Newton County teenager and his mom received the gift of mobility on Thursday, thanks to some Good Samaritans.
A Newton County teenager and his mom received the gift of mobility on Thursday, thanks to some Good Samaritans. Tyler Head was injured in a high school wrestling tournament in December, and getting back and forth to therapy is a vital to his recovery.
Thursday, May 23 2013 10:44 PM EDT2013-05-24 02:44:36 GMT
The fox responsible for biting two Newton County elementary school students while they played on their school's playground remains on the loose.
The fox that bit two Newton County elementary school students while they played on the playground is still on the loose. Animal control authorities tell FOX 5 someone from Rocky Plains Elementary School reported a fox sighting on campus one day before the boys were attacked.
