Virginia, Valley teachers observe Black Friday

Across both the Shenandoah Valley and Virginia Friday, teachers dressed in black to show their concerns about the erosion of funding for K-12 public education in Virginia.
Virginia Education Association President Kitty Boitnott said the support for Black Friday included more than teachers.
“By all accounts, we have had schools awash in black today,’’ she said in an e-mail response. “In many locations, principals have joined the effort and also wore black as a show of support for the idea. Students whose parents are teachers or those who support teachers in their community showed up wearing black as well.”
Boitnott said she had heard responses “from every corner of the commonwealth.”  “And from what I can tell, our folks have made their disappointment with what is happening in Richmond very clear,’’ she said.
In Waynesboro, Waynesboro Education Association Co-President Rosemary Wagoner said she saw a large percentage of teachers dressed in black in two schools she visited – William Perry Elementary and Kate Collins Middle School.
Wagoner said teachers feel strongly about the loss of funding for public education in the past four years.
“When funding is cut it is not just hurting teachers, it is hurting kids. Funding is also about resources in the classroom,’’ she said.
Wagoner said she knows many teachers who spend $300 to $500 per year for resources so their students “will have a good education.”
Because of the recession, Wagoner anticipates Waynesboro’s free and reduced lunch population will increase.
Karen Olivares, the Valley Uniserv director for the VEA, said she thought Valley schools participated as much as 60 to 70 percent in the day of mourning.
“If you walked in the building, you would notice it,’’ Olivares said. She said she thought comments from Del. Dickie Bell, R-Staunton, on Wednesday had increased the support for the observance.
Bell commented on Facebook and did interviews on Wednesday, saying he thought dressing in black was not professional and was not a good use of instructional time by teachers.
Olivares said Bell’s comments “were insensitive and demeaning,’’ especially considering Bell is a former teacher in the Augusta County Schools.
Wagoner said she thinks a protest like Friday’s is appropriate during Black History Month.
“Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was all about peaceful protest,’’ said Wagner of an icon of black history. “This was appropriate timing and shows that educators really value their profession and are willing to protect it. This made me feel good about educators across Virginia.”