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PSS seeks parents’ support on budget passage
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Posted on Nov 15 2005
The cash-strapped Public School System is enlisting the help of parents of public school students in lobbying to have its $50 million budget for school year 2005-2006 passed.
“We need the voice of the parents to encourage our elected leaders,” said acting Commissioner of Education David M. Borja.
He said PSS could not afford to continue operations and maintain a number of its education programs if its budget remains at $37.2 million.
During the last Board of Education meeting early this month, chairman Roman C. Benavente said the entire board would call on parents to support the PSS and walk with them to the Legislature to demand the passage of the new budget.
“If the budget is not passed, we [BOE] would ask parents to come out and rally with us,” Benavente said, adding that he would not hesitate to call all the parents in the CNMI for the protest.
Benavente said yesterday that he has yet to hear any updates on their budget request from the government. He said it seems that everyone is waiting for the end of the elections before taking action.
Earlier, he said the public should be aware of the current conditions of the PSS, which he described as being “in a very sticky situation” right now.
The board had said that, if the rally is not successful, they would have no choice but to shut down all 20 public schools in the Commonwealth. Benavente said the shutdown would take place in three to four weeks if lawmakers still do not act on the budget.
