An open letter to the members of Georgia's House of Representatives and State Senate

Dear Georgia State Representatives and Senators,
I am writing to you today, because I am a third grade teacher in T. County Georgia.

I am extremely upset by the recent cuts in education funding, to include the teacher furlough days that the state of Georgia has had this year, and the proposed additional 4 to 5 days of furlough days for the coming months.

As a teacher I average $200 a month that I personally spend on my students, and put back into my classroom. The proposed furlough days will cost me over $600. If this happens my family and I will have to do without this money, which in turn means that my students will have to do without the supplies that I usually fund out of my own paycheck.

As I know you are aware our community and several surrounding communities are low income, rural districts, we have between 80 and 100% free and reduced lunch participation.

As politic ans, you have said how important education is to the future of this great state, and nation, now I ask that you step up and defend the educators and the children in Georgia. I ask that you go to your fellow state Representatives, and state Senators and tell them to stop the cuts funding Georgia's education system.

I ask that you talk to Governor Perdue about what he is doing to our great state by cutting into the education of our children. There are better ways to make cuts in the budget than by taking it out on our educators and our students. What is being proposed by those in office is going to drive the great teachers out of education, because we can not afford to teach any longer.

Please, help the children and educators of your home district, and put a stop to these proposed cuts!

I promise that anyone that votes for these cuts in education will not have my vote in any coming election, and I will do my best to get the word out to all of my fellow voters as well to not vote for anyone that voted for cuts in education. I will vote for all non-incumbents, in an effort to vote out any incumbent that voted for budget cuts in education.

Sincerely,
Patricia L. Cleveland