Members of the Petersburg Advocates for Children, the City Wide PTA, and the Petersburg Right to Education Campaign gave public comment at last night's school board meeting to speak out against impending cuts to the local school budget.  Community members aired their concerns about cuts at the state level -- which will have a devastating effect on school systems such as Petersburg that rely heavily on state support -- as well as local decisions about maintaining low teacher/pupil ratios, ensuring that school buildings are well-equipped for larger class loads, and ensuring access to a healthy breakfast for many low-income children.  The press took note of the community's input, further cementing Legal Aid's belief that strong community engagement is one of the most powerful tools for turning around struggling schools. 
 
To read more about last night's school board meeting and the budget cuts faced by the Petersburg City Public Schools, click on the following links:
 
"School board considers tough budget options," Petersburg Progress-Index (Feb 18, 2010)
 
"Petersburg schools will eliminate 46 jobs to save $2.6 million," Richmond Times-Dispatch (Feb 18, 2010)