Despite the pleas of public speakers to defer its decision till April or exempt band and orchestra programs from deletion, the Fulton County Board of Education voted Thursday night to approve $58 million in budget cuts for fiscal 2011 at its monthly meeting.
The vote was 6-1 with District 5 board member Ashley Widener opposed.
About 300 residents attended the meeting at Dunwoody Springs Charter Elementary School, several with handmade signs protesting cuts in the $4 million elementary school band and orchestra program.
The cuts will eliminate 63 office positions and lay off 465 staff including paraprofessionals, counselors, instructional support teachers and custodians.
Linda Schmidt, a Riverwood International Charter School media specialist, said the system’s 85 percent graduation rate could be at stake if 11 media specialists and nine media paraprofessionals lose their jobs.
“I am here to plea we continue to fund media center staffing. So much academic achievement is supported by the media centers and their staff. We handle the equivalent of 120 students per school class period,” she said. “If you cut the amount of manpower we have, it reduces the quantity and quality of services we provide to our students. We need to be there. Allow us to still serve the students we need to serve.”
 Board President Linda Bryant and Superintendent Cindy Loe said they were reluctant to make any cuts, a sentiment echoed by board Vice President Julia Bernath.
“This is not a decision we take lightly. It’s weighed heavily on our hearts,” said Ms. Bernath, whose District 7 includes Sandy Springs.
While recognizing the impact cutting programs will have, Ms. Bernath asked attendees to help open the door to their return.
“We ask you to keep a list of programs we reduce or do away with so in better times we won’t forget to reinstate them when we are able to do so,” she said.
Band and orchestra will be offered as an after-school activity on a fee basis.
Information: visit www.fultonschools.org.

By the numbers

Fulton County Schools
o Schools: 99
o Students: 90,000
o School positions cut: 465
o Savings: $23 million
o Office positions cut: 63
o Savings: $3.7 million
o Total savings: $58 million
o 2010 revenue: $845 million
o 2011 projected revenue: $730 million
o Shortfall: $115 million

Source: Fulton County School System