Parents protest school cuts as municipalities prepare budgets

Parents are taking to the streets across Denmark to protest proposed school cuts as municipalities negotiate their budgets, DR reports. In Middelfart, about 100 parents demonstrated against a planned school merger, which was subsequently shelved. The municipality must still cut more than 10 million kroner from the school area over the next two years.

Parents in Mors forced local politicians to move a town council meeting to a local arena because of a large demonstration. In Hjørring, parents are due to demonstrate in connection with a council meeting and the first consideration of the municipality’s budget.

Municipalities are currently preparing budgets for the coming years. Those facing cuts have drawn up lists of possible savings across different areas, including primary schools. Several municipalities have already given their budgets an initial consideration or are in the middle of that process. The budgets must be finally adopted by 15 October, meaning proposals can still change.

Kirstine Fruergaard Dahl Møller, who organised the Hjørring demonstration, said some of the proposed cuts would affect schools’ core responsibilities towards children.

“There are some things in the cuts that will affect the core task concerning our children in schools. That is precisely what we are speaking out about and what we do not want. It cannot be right that we should make further savings in this area,” she said.

Hjørring Municipality is currently expected to find about 85 million kroner in savings in the children, leisure and education area.

Gordon Ørskov Madsen, chairman of the Danish Union of Teachers, said he fully understood the parents’ frustration. In many places, he said, the limit for ensuring good teaching had already been exceeded.

“When you see schools close, classes become larger and there are fewer teachers, pupils receive less time and help. And if the finances are not properly balanced, I am seriously concerned about the pupils’ academic skills and opportunities later in life,” he said.

In Middelfart, the proposed school merger has been put aside for now, but the municipality still has school cuts worth more than 10 million kroner in its budget period.

Lolland Municipality must save 75 million kroner next year, even with a special grant from the state. This means all the proposed cuts in its catalogue appear likely to be considered. In the school area, the proposals include several school closures and mergers.

Hjørring’s proposals include fewer employees and larger classes. Lone Olsen, a Venstre councillor and chair of the municipality’s Children, Leisure and Education Committee, called the proposals a “horror catalogue” for schools.

“Like the parents, I think we are facing some very severe cuts. If we adopt all of them as they stand, I fully understand the parents,” she said.

Olsen said Venstre would seek to protect as much of the school area as possible during the budget negotiations, but added that the parties still had to agree on a budget.