School libraries no longer on chopping block in Spotsylvania County's revised budget proposal

SPOTSYLVANIA, Va. — Despite Superintendent Mark Taylor proposing to cut all school libraries to prevent a major budget shortfall, a recommended revision of the budget adoption steers clear of the controversial item.

The Spotsylvania County School Board is set to vote on a new budget on Monday evening with changes to the original recommendations.

Editor's Note: The vote has not occurred as of this writing.

Taylor first announced a budget shortfall of $21.85 million. He asked the Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors for $19 million in local revenue by increasing the tax rate, but only received $10.9 million to help close the gap.

However, a preview of the school board budget work session presentation showed the total gap in funding is now at $16.36 million instead.

In an earlier board meeting, Taylor said there would be possible major budget cuts including cutting all school libraries and their 63 employees and 60 teachers and increasing health insurance costs to employees from 2% to 7%.

“If libraries were to be eliminated, it would be destruction,” said Spotsylvania Co. School librarian Dorathy Winkler. “How did we get to this point? How are these things happening in the 21st century? How are taking steps backwards?”

The new school administration recommendations to the budget do not reflect getting rid of libraries, but positions are still affected.

The recommendation proposed to cut 23 elementary school teacher assistants that would save up to $1.2 million.

Two elementary school instructional specialists, half of 10 special education speech pathologists, most special education support staff, and half of 30 special education assistants would be eliminated. Those possible cuts totaled more than $3 million. 

Instead of five health and wellness nursing staff employees, there would be three. 

Other recommendations would reduce $17,900 in funding for safety and security needs such as Stop the Bleed kits, red-go kits, and uniforms.

The proposed revisions also removed updated AP textbooks of $53,000 and new Science of Reading books of $1.4 million, and changes to the middle school English and Science curriculum of $1.2 million.  

Critics of Taylor question if his earlier announcement was politically motivated.

No matter the outcome, Winkler stressed healing needs to take place. Taylor has also been criticized after deciding to pull out 14 books from the school libraries.

“We've got a lot of work to do,” Winkler said. “Librarians are not the bad guys, we're the good guys.”