Welcome to

Governor Rick Scott wants to cut three billion dollars from education. The state legislature is looking to cut less. But there’s little chance schools end up unharmed in next year’s budget. Parents, teachers and students say they can’t handle anymore cuts, and as Whitney Ray tells us, they took their message to the state capitol today, but the governor wasn’t there.

A group of about four hundred parents, teachers and students stormed the state capitol Thursday to rally against budget cuts. Their message was for lawmakers and Governor Rick Scott

“We come with bags full of postcards from all these kids out here from parents back home,” said Maria Kinzer, with Pinellas County PTA.

But Scott wasn’t there… he was in Jacksonville signing a teacher tenure bill many educators oppose.

“It’s very disappointing the Governor is out in Jacksonville at a charter school,” said Rosanne Wood, a former principal.

The governor may have won the tenure battle, but the education war continues. Scott is proposing a three billion dollar cut. State lawmakers are looking to cut about half as much.

“Education is a lot better than a lot of other items. If you look at some of these other cuts, they are brutal. So I’m happy the PTA is here. There hard work is paying off,” said State Senator Thad Altman.

Parents, teachers and students say if those cuts are passed down to schools, programs like sports, arts, and music will disappear.

High School Junior Luis Estopinana says without music class, he would find it hard to get up in the morning.

“Without the arts, like, there’s not that extra thing to look forward to beside regular academics,” said Luis.

If school funding is cut too drastically, educators are prepared to sue, because the Florida constitution says the state must adequately fund schools.

“A cut is still a cut and when we are already at the bottom at the heap in country as far as funding education. No cuts are acceptable,” said Linda Kobert with FundEducationNow.org.

But first they hope lawmakers listen, and schools are held harmless. Governor Scott says his education budget reductions aren’t actually cuts. The reason; for the past two years federal stimulus dollars were propping up the state budget. Now that money is gone and there’s no way to replace it without raising taxes.