Warwick school community outraged over threat of drastic cuts

June 4, 2019 12:31 am

WARWICK, R.I. (WLNE) — Hundreds of students, parents, and teachers packed the Warwick City Council meeting Monday night to voice their opposition to potential budget cuts.

The city is not giving the school department $7.7 million dollars it requested, and now the school committee says it’s forced to slash programs — with sports getting hit the hardest.

“I was a three–sport athlete at Pilgrim High School,” said Judy Cobden of the Warwick School Committee. “It breaks my heart. I’ll probably cry, but what are we supposed to do? I can’t have kids that are struggling with math and cut textbooks. We have to look at the reality of this situation. It’s going to break my heart.”

Some students saying sports scholarships were their way into college.

Now they say they may leave Warwick public schools altogether.

“Probably not going to go to Pilgrim next year,” said student Audrey Isherwood. “A lot of kids probably won’t if this does actually happen. My second reaction is that I probably won’t play volleyball in my life again. It’s my favorite thing in my life.”

Parents say it shouldn’t have come to this point.

“That’s where I got upset,” said parent Shannon Napolitano. “The kids shouldn’t have to get involved in the politics of it. It shouldn’t have been on the table. There should be other ways.”

“I pay taxes,” said parent Bruce Perrault. “I want to know where the money’s going, and I want to know that my kids have something to do after school.”

Mayor Solomon said in a statement that the city will extend negotiations with the school committee.

And members of the city council are optimistic that a solution will be found.

“I think that we can find those savings to make sure we’re doing more with less, and that we’re making sure the students have the best experience possible, that at the same time the city can afford to fund,” said Jeremy Rix of Warwick City Council.

There is no specific timeline yet on the mediation process between the city and school committee.