I am new to activism and this is my first petition, so I will keep this short :) 

Our schools need help. The schools, all of our children that they serve, and all of the caring, self-less teachers, aides, counselors, social workers, deserve better. 

I felt so hopeless after the school shooting in Uvalde, TX. One of my kids is in 3rd grade. I cried listening to the coverage of the shooting the morning after it occurred. Literally, the next story on the local news after Ulvade was that the budget request for the 2023 school year made by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) was unlikely to be passed by the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners in June. 

The budget CMS wants will allow CMS to hire more teachers and aides and provide raises to educators, both of which are desperately needed. It will also help staff the overflow Mint Hill Elementary School, among many, many other things.

Will anyone join with me in telling the Board that we need to give CMS the full funding that it needs to best educate and protect our children?? Trust me, I KNOW that there is SO. MUCH. wrong with our education system, but our children will not succeed if we don't have schools that are fully-staffed with caring, capable teachers. It's one small step forward that I think it worth fighting for. 

Did you know:   Right now, the Meck Board of Commissioners is only planning to give CMS 49.4% of its funding request. Actually, the Meck Board has not voted to approve a full CMS budget request since 2012. (Source link below)

The Meck Board of Commissioners will discuss the budget and hold straw voting on June 15 and June 16. 

Please join me in signing this petition to show the Board that residents of Charlotte-Meck county want our schools fully funded because we love and care about our children and teachers. I will send this petition to each member of the Board on Monday June 13, so that they can consider what county residents want before they vote. 

Data source: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article261794512.html#storylink=cpy