PSEA, State College educators warn against Doug Mastriano’s plans for education funding

The Pennsylvania State Education Association hosted an event with local educators Friday in opposition to Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano’s “extreme” proposed cuts to education funding.

Educators from Mifflin County and the State College Area School District spoke out against Mastriano and the education funding proposal that many fear would have a devastating impact to public schools. The event was one of ten held across the state by the PSEA in response to a March interview with WRTA Radio where Mastriano said he would look to cut school funding by $10,000 per student.

If that plan came to fruition, PSEA says public school districts across the state would see disastrous cuts. SCASD alone could see a $72.5 million reduction in funding, cutting over 600 staff positions and dramatically increasing class size, PSEA warned.

SCASD board president Amber Concepcion said that while any budget cuts would have to pass through legislation, Mastriano’s comments show a lack of comprehension surrounding education funding.

“These are public schools really for families, they’re the hub of the community,” Concepcion said. “I don’t think he understands what it cost financially to run schools because you can’t do that without people. And by far, the vast majority of every public school budget is employees and their salaries because it’s a people-centric business.”

PSEA created an interactive online map to see how proposed funding cuts could effect each district.

SCASD board member Peter Buck also condemned any potential budget cuts.

“We need children to work in the workforce of the future who are going to be able to think through and act on problems in an informed way,” Buck said. “And when you slash budgets, you make it that much harder for everybody to be able to face those problems in a realistic fashion.”

SCASD teacher and president of the State College Area Education Association, Shai McGowan, described the potential loss of funding as “heartbreaking.”

“The outcome is unimaginable,” McGowan said. “As an educator in Pennsylvania, I’ve just never had to think about something so awful.”

Members of the PSEA are not the only educators speaking out against Mastriano. Recently 84 school board directors across Pennsylvania signed a letter condemning Mastriano’s proposed cuts, with Buck and fellow SCASD board member Jackie Huff among them.

Mastriano’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

This story was originally published September 17, 2022 at 6:00 AM.