People are encouraged to attend the Roanoke School Board meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 12 at Patrick Henry High School. Those interested in commenting on the outsourcing of food services need to sign up in person before 6:15 or contact the school board clerk by calling 540-853-2381 or email cp******@**ps.info before noon on January 12.
Local activists have reportedly been asking the school board for over a year to hold a public hearing on the outsourcing of local bus drivers, school nurses and recently substitute teachers before outsourcing other services.
”Outsourcing public school jobs creates insecurity and a detrimental ripple effect through our local economy at the expense of our children’s well being,” said local activists Freeda Cathcart.
Several organizations have joined the movement to oppose outsourcing food services including the Roanoke Education Association and Let Teachers Teach. Many people oppose public tax dollars being sent to for-profit, private corporation. Recently Roanoke County Public Schools was able to save thousands of dollars by keeping their food services instead of outsourcing.
