School cutbacks draw fire

PEABODY – Approximately 20 paraprofessionals showed up at Tuesday night’s School Committee meeting to support Lori McHugh, who spoke out against suggested cutbacks that would reduce their workweek.McHugh, who works as a teacher’s aide at the Samuel Brown Elementary School, took her place on stage and read aloud her detailed speech about why the School Committee should strongly rethink their position on trimming the hours paraprofessionals work in order to eliminate their benefits package. The idea has been floating around since the very first budget meeting over a month ago as a way to reach Mayor Michael Bonfanti’s request of $750,000 in cuts.”Our role is not always understood or appreciated,” said McHugh, adding that committee members need to spend more time in classrooms to truly experience what it is she and her fellow aides do for Peabody students. “The work we do is important to their quality of life.”McHugh said that casual observers might find what they do miniscule, a job that anyone could handle. However, she begged to differ, saying that what they do requires a hard earned education and learned skill.”We’re actually working with children on their verbal behavior,” she said.McHugh said that often times, teacher’s aides are kicked, hit, yelled at, etc., by their students who have a difficult time learning and behaving appropriately in a classroom environment.”But we come back because we fell in love,” she said, adding that deep down, they know their hard work makes a difference. “Replacing us is not an easy feat.”McHugh also said that paraprofessionals are “no less deserving” for health insurance and benefits than others. She found it “insulting” to hear about the proposed cuts.The audience applauded in a standing ovation as McHugh returned to her seat in the third row.Bonfanti acknowledges McHugh’s concerns and assured her that they would be addressed in a timely manner.