Parents and teachers protest Lee County schools' budget choices

A big crowd is gathering outside Lee County schools' main office in Fort Myers this Wednesday evening. They're not happy about planned budget cuts and teacher job losses. The protest runs from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at 2855 Colonial Blvd. People are upset about losing teachers and programs they care about. The school district says they're just adjusting the budget, but parents see real problems in classrooms. One big concern is moving kids from Buckingham Exceptional Student Center to Royal Palm. Buckingham helps kids with serious medical needs, while Royal Palm works with kids who have behavioral challenges. Parents worry their children won't get the right care in the new building. They say the school district didn't ask families for their opinions before making this decision.Arts programs might also disappear. Some schools could lose dance, theater, and music classes because of funding cuts. The district says these programs will stay, but teachers' groups aren't so sure. When schools cut positions, arts classes often get axed first. That's a problem for kids who love music or art. Teachers are losing jobs too. The school district won't use the word "layoffs, " but they're sending notices that contracts might not be renewed. Teachers can apply for other jobs in the district, but some worry they won't get placed. The school system says they want to keep good teachers, but there's no clear plan yet. The money problems come from fewer students and rising costs. When kids leave for private schools or homeschooling, the district gets less money from the state. To fix this, they're cutting spending in other areas. But parents want to know: where exactly is the money going? They feel left in the dark about how decisions are made.