AAPS announced a $25 million budget cut in March of this year. This crisis is leading AAPS to cut down as much money as possible, including possible layoffs of staff.

This limitation of expenses has distressed many AAPS staff members, so rallies have started and “Support Ann Arbor Teachers” signs have been put up outside homes near schools and in other areas in the community so that their message can be delivered.

Clague Art teacher Sarah Griesinger thought that in regard to the crisis, it was very “stressful.” She loves her job, and feels like all the teachers deserve “job security and appropriate financial compensation for the work we’re doing here.”

“The financial crisis feels like a looming dark cloud at a time of year that’s supposed to be full of celebrations,” Griesinger said.

The worries of the teachers are now coming true. Earlier last week, AAPS announced that all music co-teachers with under-enrolled classes, such as our band and orchestra classes have.

The budget crisis does not upset just teachers, but also students.

Clague seventh grader Ethan Jeong said he felt like “the teachers are having a bad time going through this situation.”

The “Support Ann Arbor Teachers” rallies and pickets have been going on before school at many AAPS schools to ask the board to not lay-off forward-facing student staff. To have a voice in the plan, students can write the board and attend board meetings. The BOE will have another meeting at 7 p.m. at Pioneer on Monday.