Perhaps the most eloquent testimony at last night's hearing on the proposed $437 million operating budget for Anne Arundel County schools came from a woman who apologized for not speaking English well.
She asked the school board not to take away her chance to learn more English.
"I am very interested in classes continuing in our community," said Maria Simmons, who takes adult basic education classes at Van Bokkelen Elementary School near Fort Meade. "I can never help my children with homework. They are grown now, but I have four grandkids I want to be able to help them. I represent a large group that don't speak English. I'm sorry, I hope you understand."
"We do understand," school board President Michael A. Pace reassured Mrs. Simmons amid applause from the audience.
Mrs. Simmons was one of about 60 speakers at the hearing that drew an audience of about 200, and she was one of six people who testified in favor of keeping adult basic education classes.
Superintendent Carol S. Parham cut $180,000 for adult basic education from her proposed operating budget, and has said she wants Anne Arundel Community College in Severna Park to pick up the program. That's too far to travel for some county residents who, like Mrs. Simmons, who don't have transportation.
"I'm concerned about the adult basic education program," said Soserae Milton. "I'm dyslexic. On a bad day I can't spell 'the' or 'and.' I was 28 years old when I first suspected I had dyslexia. I am 36 now, and I'm finally where I'm learning something. We have no transportation."
She described the group in her class as "a family."
"If you move this program, my future is lost," she said with a sigh."And so is theirs."
In other testimony, parents urged the school board to consider reinstating the $100,000 "drown-proofing" program Dr. Parham also cut from her budget proposal. The program teaches children how to stay afloat if they fall into a pool, for instance.
Several parents also testified that elementary schools need additional guidance counselors, school psychiatrists and administrators as called called for in a 1992 study called "Bridging the Gap." The title of the report has became a virtual mantra at budget time, repeated by parents who say the school board has made little progress in meeting the goals in the report.
Linda Murray, whose children attend Belvedere Elementary School in Arnold, also reminded the board of its obligation to provide schools that are medically safe.
"I'm concerned with the safety of current health services in Anne Arundel County, which allows school secretaries to dispense medicine" in violation of state law, said Mrs. Murray, a pediatric nurse practitioner.
The school board is scheduled to vote on the proposed budget at its regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the school system's headquarters on Riva Road in Annapolis. The board must submit the budget to County Executive John G. Gary by March 1.