Legislators Discuss Education Issues at Catskill Regional Teacher Center Legislative Forum

The Catskill Regional Teacher Center hosted the ninth annual legislative forum Thursday afternoon at the Bugbee School.

Area legislators were there to answer questions and talk with educators. Among the legislators were: Senator James Seward's chief of staff Duncan Davie, U.S. Congressman Chris Gibson, Assemblymen Bill Magee, Cliff Crouch and Pete Lopez.

Assemblyman Lopez was asked what can be done to help schools so they do not have to keep cutting teachers and programs in order to keep giving a quality education.

"The state and federal providing more resources. We also have to be more creative," Lopez said. "Whether that is sharing services or sharing administration or investing in alternate energy, there are other ways also in taking that money that is being spent and improving our job and driving that into the classroom as well. The big challenge is that the state and federal government have to give them that freedom to have that discretion."