Charlottesville United for Public Education’s Statement on CCS FY24 Budget, Gun Violence
The following is the statement of Charlottesville United for Public Education as the Charlottesville City School Board considers the FY2024 budget. More information about the CCS FY2024 budget can be found here.
February 23, 2023: “Charlottesville United for Public Education is committed to ensuring every child in our public schools is successful – including mental health supports, safety, transportation, middle school reconfiguration and infrastructure improvements, and more. The role of our public schools in shaping our children’s lives and our community’s future cannot be understated.
When immigrant and refugee families arrive in Charlottesville, our public schools welcome them. When kids go to bed hungry, don’t know where they will sleep that night, or are exposed to gun violence, our public schools provide a safe place for them. For kids who need additional academic, social emotional or other support, our public schools provide those services.
Charlottesville City Schools are a critical pillar of our community, and funding must match that.
The expectations of our public schools system – its infrastructure and personnel – grow every day with new challenges and opportunities. Our schools are scrambling on several fronts, including playing catch-up after the pandemic created learning deficits and mental health issues and welcoming additional immigrant and refugee students.
We support efforts in this budget to:
Enhance access to counseling and social services as students still struggle with pandemic-related psychological needs that take a toll on classroom performance, behavior and safety.
Provide additional ESL support as we aim to serve all students in our community equitably.
Resolve school transportation limitations that continue to be among the top issues we hear from families.
Move forward to solidify funding and planning for the renovation of Buford Middle School and reconfiguration.
Just yesterday, Dr. Gurley was forced to address a shooting, a shooting that occurred in the afternoon, in broad daylight, as many students were arriving home from school. This is a reminder that our schools do not exist in a vacuum, and therefore we need a budget that shows a commitment to building and sustaining positive, nurturing environments.
We know that the sources of violence are many, and further we know that the harm caused by community level violence is reflected at our bus stops, on the trails to school, in the hallways, and in our classrooms. We also know that the men dying are not just names, not just numbers but our fathers, brothers, husbands, uncles, neighbors, and friends. This takes a huge toll on our community. That is to say, it hurts. And we all know, hurt people hurt people. Our children are hurting. Our teachers and staff members are hurting. Charlottesville is hurting, and this means that our schools now more than ever are a critical place for healing.
We advocate that the 2024 budget, future budgets and strategic planning elevate the voices of Charlottesville families, especially those most closely impacted by trauma and pursue options that embrace the role of schools as safe spaces to grow and learn. This includes, amongst other things, increased funding for school counselors and other mental health professionals, funding for student created initiatives, sports programs, and more extensive extracurricular activities.
Whether you have or hope for children; your kids are CCS students or attend private school; they graduated long ago or haven’t yet left preschool, Charlottesville United calls on every single Charlottesville resident to stand strong and stand together in support of our public schools. A solid, functioning, and thriving community is one that invests in its children through the public school system.”
The following are opportunities for the Charlottesville community to weigh in on the CCS budget (more information):
February 23rd: Charlottesville City School Board budget approval
March 6th: City Council Meeting where CCS budget is presented
March 9th: City Council Work Session
March 16th: City Council Work Session
March 20th: Tax Rate Public Hearing
March 22nd: Community Budget Forum
March 30th: City Council Work Session
April 3rd: City Council Meeting/Public Hearing on Budget
April 6th: City Council Work Session
April 11th: City Council Meeting to Adopt Budget