Educators at District 5 town hall warn proposed cuts could swell class sizes and hollow supports
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Summary
Teachers and union leaders urged Baltimore County leaders to prevent proposed cuts — speakers cited roughly 595–600 at-risk positions, rising class sizes (some classrooms above 30), and infrastructure decay that harms instruction.
Teachers, union representatives and school staff urged county leaders to protect classroom staffing and school resources as the budget process advances.
Heather Martin, a librarian and media specialist, said some primary classrooms now have 31 students and described the growing non-instructional burdens on educators: "We are already below the bare minimum in staffing and you are requiring us to dig deeper," she said, adding that cuts will produce widening inequities across schools.
Edwin Perez, a Perry Hall High School educator, told officials the county faces three urgent school-related concerns: the potential loss of nearly 600 positions, overcrowded classrooms and aging infrastructure. "We cannot continue doing more with less any longer," he said, and asked the county to pursue a multiyear strategy to preserve positions and modernize facilities.
Kelly Olds, president of TAMCO, commended the three-year wage agreement and asked for transparency about planned cuts. He told the town hall the superintendent’s proposed budget includes cuts to about 595 positions and urged county leaders and the public to work together to find additional funding to reduce the scope of those cuts.
County staff responded that the superintendent’s budget was still early in the process and that officials would coordinate with BCPS as they examine declining student population and state aid projections.
Next steps: County budget staff said they will continue coordinated review with the school system and consider public testimony as they formulate the administration’s proposal for council review.
