Vermont-NEA News

Teachers of the Year Slam Scott Veto

State Teachers of the Year Decry Scott’s DC-Style Budget Veto and Looming State Government Shutdown

By rejecting budget and education funding bill, Gov. Scott digs $400 million hole for our schools and threatens to shutter state government

MONTPELIER – Three Vermont Teachers of the Year joined Vermont-NEA President Martha Allen in denouncing Gov. Phil Scott’s veto of a balanced state budget and responsible education funding bill.

“As you know, Governor Phil Scott today vetoed a balanced budget and a responsible education funding bill, putting us less than a month away from a state government shutdown – and a $400 million hole in funding for our schools and students,” said Allen, a K-12 librarian who is the elected president of the Vermont-NEA. “We’re here today to tell the governor that his DC-style response to not being able to complete his attack on educators is dangerous to all Vermonters, not just educators and students. If the state’s government shuts down, vital services for all of us will be in jeopardy.”

Scott and the Vermont School Boards Association want to wrest power from local school boards and fundamentally alter the relationship between them and their employees – local educators. His scheme would jeopardize the half-century of progress made in our state’s local communities that has given Vermont public schools that are among the best in the country.

Allen was joined by Kate McCann, the 2017 Vermont Teacher of the Year; Susan Koch, the 2016 Vermont Teacher of the Year; and Rebecca Haslam, the 2015 Vermont Teacher of the Year.

“The Vermont way of sitting around the table and working things out is in jeopardy when DC-style politics come our way,” said McCann, who teaches at U-32 in East Montpelier. “Let’s turn our attention to making our schools even better for Vermont’s students instead of trying to find ways to strip away power from local school boards and the women and men who work for them.  And let’s not threaten all Vermonters with a DC-style government shutdown.”

Koch, who teaches in Montpelier, said she was dismayed by Scott’s vetoes. “Governor Scott, you told us that you decry DC-style political operatives, and said you would never stoop to being that way in Vermont. Well, today you showed that you’d rather threaten our state’s budget – and the many services it funds for all Vermonters – until you get your way,” she said. “Vermont is not DC. I urge you to please stop this attack on me and my fellow educators and to stop this needless threat of a government shutdown.”

Haslam, a 12-year veteran teacher who works in Burlington’s schools, said that Vermonters deserve – and expect – better from the governor. “Gov. Scott’s veto threatens to shut down Vermont’s government so he can wage a political attack on public school educators and our public school system,” she said. “Vermonters deserve true leadership that focuses on putting people first, protecting our environment, and investing in our children’s future.”

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Darren Allen Jun 08 2017
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