'Fighting mad': Hundreds attend Jordan School Board meeting to rail against budget cuts

WEST JORDAN — About 500 people showed up for a Jordan School Board meeting Tuesday night to let their opinions be heard regarding planned budget cuts that include laying off 500 employees.

One man sitting in the overflowing auditorium held up a sign noting the crowds: "Welcome 2 next years classrooms," to which the audience clapped and cheered.

The school board spent several hours listening to angry comments and tearful pleas from parents, students and teachers.

Jordan District is trying to manage a $30 million deficit that could mean eliminating jobs, increasing class sizes and reducing programs.

Of the 500 positions to be axed, 250 will be teaching jobs. High school teachers also would lose their prep period and teach an additional class to mitigate class size increases of an estimated four children per class.

Many educators say the district should raise taxes and consider furloughs instead. Some teachers say they will cut back on the time they spend on athletics and activities, or even walk out or go on strike, if the board doesn't listen.

Members and supporters of the teachers union, Jordan Education Association, rallied outside before Tuesday night's board meeting. Students and educators held up signs that read "Speak for Tomorrow Today" and hoisted a 30-foot-long banner featuring photos of their teachers.

"I hope the school board listens to us since it's our future they are affecting," said Chase Schumaker, 16, a sophomore at Bingham High School, as he held up a section of the banner.

Schumaker is part of Bingham's football and wrestling teams and says he's worried about the plans of some educators to not put in their usual time with athletics and extracurricular activities.

The hearing was delayed an hour because fire marshals had to remove several hundred people from the room to meet safety standards. Groups then gathered in the parking lot and chanted, "Save our teachers!"

Corinne Gardner, mother of six students in the district, told the board she is against another tax increase, to which she received boos and hisses from the audience.

"I am not against teachers," Gardner said. "I am against taxing the people to fix the problem."

Jordan District spokeswoman Melinda Colton said no matter how the board balances the budget, it affects people. And the public has overwhelmingly said they don't want another tax increase.

"It will either impact students, teachers, taxpayers on fixed incomes or parents," Colton said.