Teachers across Broward County will put down their red pens and pick up their picket signs Wednesday to end what they call a crisis in schools across the county.
Joined by parents and students, the educators will protest in locations across Broward – ranging from Weston to Pembroke Park and at locations in between – ahead of a March 10th meeting where school board members are expected to vote on a budget for the upcoming year.
“We need the public to help us stop the shell game being played by Superintendent Runcie and his (CFO) Judy Marte,” said Anna Fusco, president of the Broward Teachers Union. “They have mismanaged money and continue to put our students and educators last. We are watching and asking: ‘where are you hiding the money?’”
Teachers claim that mismanagement of funds has led to everything from crumbling schools to questionable safety measures – issues brought to light even more with the tragic shooting inside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland more than two years ago.
Protest locations are at the following sites with each event starting at 3 p.m.:
HALLANDALE/PEMBROKE PARK: 3401 W. Hallandale Beach Blvd
TAMARAC: BTU Union Hall, 6000 N. University Drive and Challenger Elementary, 5703 NW 94th Ave.
LAUDERHILL: Castle Hill Elementary, 2640 NW 46th Ave
PLANTATION: Corner of Peters Road and N. University Drive and Pine Ridge Center, Davie Blvd & SR 7
NORTH LAUDERDALE: Corner Rock Island & McNab Road
OAKLAND PARK: NE corner of Oakland Park Blvd. and Federal Highway
DAVIE: Fox Trail Elementary, 1250 S Nob Hill Rd
HOLLYWOOD: Hollywood Blvd & 65th Ave
COCONUT CREEK: Corner of Lyons Rd and Johnson Rd
CORAL SPRINGS: Northwest Regional Library, 3151 N. University Drive
SUNRISE: Horizon Elementary, Pine Island Road and NW 21st Manor
PEMBROKE PINES: Pines Blvd. & Dykes Road and Pines Blvd. and 136th Ave.
COOPER CITY: Cooper City Community Center, 9000 SW 50th Place
POMPANO: Pompano City Centre, SW Corner of Federal Hwy & Copans Rd FT. LAUDERDALE: Broward Blvd. and 15th Ave. and Broward Schools Headquarters, 600 SE Third Ave.
WESTON: Cypress Bay High School, 18600 Vista Park Blvd.
