in an economic downturn, but I don’t think we

in an economic downturn, but I don’t think we should sacrifice our children. We have to look farther than the ends of our noses.”

Fifth grade teacher Margaret Lee. She said she is proud of the improvements in the schools. She said the elementary school has a sign up saying “It takes a village to raise a child. The parents, businesses, taxpayers have supported continuous improvement.” She said teachers put in many extra hours tutoring children, carrying home papers to grade and books to plan lessons. “There are two kinds of schools — Those that move ahead and those that fall behind.” She said formerly Rappahannock had a high rate of teacher turnover, but the School Board and Board of Supervisors had worked together to improve salaries. Now the salaries are about average, she said. “Let’s not fall farther behind....Teaching is hard work. We have such good teachers they make it look easy.”

Kent ReeVe said teachers salaries should not just be compared with salaries in neighboring counties. He said the company where he works as a computer programmer has many former teachers who are making twice as much money as they did teaching. He said he had taught in adult night school. “Software engineering is so much easier than teaching and you make so much more. I urge you not to cut teachers’ salaries.”

Tom Everett said he sees a lot of big houses around him. “I’ve got llamas on one side of me and zebras on the other. Where is all this money? Why are we talking about cutting a budget when I’ve got llamas in my yard?”

Joe Reinbolt said he opposes Goals 2000 with regulations written by “Democrats and ‘60s degenerates and I also oppose an increase in taxes.”'He said taxes on his house have tripled in eight years. “I can’t handle any more.” He suggested the county get more money for schools from parents as donations or “garnish their wages.” He added, “It takes a Mom and a Dad [to raise a child]. It