Katie Meeker, Opinions & Humor Editor
When I first received my acceptance letter for VCU’s masters in teaching program, I was so excited to finally be getting a foothold in my future.
I’d struggled all through undergrad trying to figure out what exactly I wanted to do with my English degree. I knew I wanted to do something that gave back to my community, and after much soul searching, I realized education was a perfect way to fulfill that need.
Beyond the specific appeal of VCU’s program, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to continue to live and work in Richmond — I’ve grown very fond of the city and its people, and student teaching would allow me to give back to the place that has become my home.
However, I quickly realized that recently, Richmond hasn’t been too kind to its educators. In January, the proposed Richmond Public Schools budget for the coming fiscal year included plans for more than 40 layoffs, raise delays for staff, the elimination of summer school programs for all non-high school students, a reduction in mental health programs for students and the termination of the district’s online learning program.
There are certainly a lot of very complicated justifications for the choices officials made when writing the budget. RPS officials stated that a “combination of financial pressures created a particularly tough budget year,” according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Beyond just Richmond, the entire field of education in recent years has taken many hits: President Donald Trump has defunded and shrunk the federal Department of Education since coming into office last year, all while publicly decrying the agency’s effectiveness and image.
However, it’s really disheartening to see how the RPS budget’s priorities not only disvalue teachers and staff, but also the students themselves.
The cuts to school mental health resources is especially worrisome. The number of adolescents reporting poor mental health is on the rise, according to the Center for Disease Control. Resources for students in schools, especially in low-income, high-need areas, are more important than ever.
If students are unable to attend, pay attention or even care about class due to a lack of mental health resources, how are they expected to learn and develop? How are teachers supposed to effectively do what they’re supposed to do?
No wonder there’s a teacher shortage plaguing central Virginia schools — who would want to work in such conditions?
As a prospective educator, I want to be able to effectively help my students learn the skills they need to succeed in life. I want to connect with them and help them grow. But if administrators keep making cuts to vital aspects of education such as mental health resources, teachers’ pay and after-school programs, then my job is going to become infinitely more difficult.
During his campaign, Mayor Danny Avula promised to prioritize funding Richmond Public Schools in the city’s budget. I can only hope that he follows through with his promise, and that officials writing the budget in the future will start to prioritize students and educators in their plans.