Norwalk Parents, Residents March on City Hall for Schools

What They Were Saying:

Dr. Lynne Moore, Principal, West Rocks Middle School:

"Since 2003-2004, the Board of Education has been underfunded by $27.8 million. In the past, when faced with shortfalls, we could make some adjustments. We knew we would be faced with a lack of $2 million in special ed this year, but now we're faced with a health insurance shortfall of $4 million. We're facing a deficit of $10 million total, plus unemployment, which we have to pay."

Barbara Smyth, organizer of march:

"Seven years in a row, our schools haven't been given what they needed to operate. A combination of past deficits and ow this shortfall, it's put our public school system in such a crisis. A lack of funding to our educational system is going to hurt it so badly people will start moving away. I love this city and don't want to see that happen to my city."

Lois Keen, Minister, Grace Episcopal

"I'm out here because I received a public school education, I'm the first in my family to go to school and get a degree because of my public school education and the libraries in my public school. I've never had children. I don't care if I have to pay for the education of children. I'd pay more, it's not an issue. If we're not funding education to 100-percent of the needed level, it's going to lead to uneducated masses and chaos. Free, high quality, public education should never be "optional."