Union members campaign to save arts

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (WSVN) -- A local teachers union held a news conference to discuss ways to prevent cuts to school arts programs in Broward County.

Members of the Broward Teachers Union gathered at the K.C. Wright Building, located at 600 SE Third Ave., Tuesday morning.

BTU members proposed a community outreach campaign called Smart Solutions 4 Broward Kids, that would cut back on wasteful district spending in order to preserve arts programs in schools. One BTU member, John Ristow mentioned, "The union believes that there are millions of dollars being wasted by this school district that could and should be used in order to be redirected and save the arts, music, physical education programs."

According to BTU, they found a little over $7 million in savings through cuts to administrators' summer pay and reducing air conditioner use at schools, among other things.

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