By Matt Sepic, KWMU
O'Fallon, Mo. – A group that opposes education cuts in the Missouri state budget gathered Thursday at Fort Zumwalt North Middle School. They say the Fort Zumwalt School District in O'Fallon will be especially hard hit if Republican budget proposals remain intact.
According to the Coalition to Protect Education and Healthcare, the budget plan legislators passed, but Governor Holden later vetoed, cuts $224 million from elementary and secondary education. The group said nearly $14 million of those cuts will affect St. Charles County.
Coalition member Greg Shufeldt said that is especially bad for the Fort Zumwalt School District.
"Fort Zumwalt is losing $5.5 million, and that's just for one school district," Shufeldt said. "That's a significant amount of money that's going to result in teachers losing their jobs, and it's going to hurt the children."
The coalition is urging lawmakers to cut corporate tax loopholes when the special session begins Monday.