by Janet Kim
GALLATIN, Tenn. - Nearly 100 jobs and a school are on the line after Sumner County Schools following a multi-million dollar budget cut.
The School Board approved the budget in a close six to five vote that will make deep cuts to district's general purpose budget.
The cuts pretty much affect every school in the district, but school leaders said they made decisions that should have the least impact in the classrooms.
Aimee Johnson attends E.B. Wilson High School in Sumner County.
"I just have two classes and I have two hours a class," said Johnson.
It is her senior year at the non-traditional school offering afternoon and night courses for students in unique circumstances.
"I was in a car wreck last year so I didn't get to go to school for two months, so that's why I decided to come here," she said.
But it's a place that will soon close its doors, as a result of a $5.3 million cut to the Sumner County School budget.
"We're in a tough situation and we had to make some very tough decisions, and what we did as a staff and as a school board was reviewed our budget and prioritized what our mandatory and non-mandatory functions were and did what we could," said Jeremy Johnson, the spokesperson for Sumner County Schools.
Other cuts will include nearly 100 jobs, from bookkeepers to athletics trainers and mandatory furloughs for other employees like Jeremy Johnson who will also take three unpaid days.
"I'd prefer not to have a furlough but if that's what we have to do, then that's what we have to do," said Jeremy Johnson.
Measures that school leaders said couldn't be helped in order to make the least impact on kids
"You want to do what you can to protect the classrooms," said Jeremy Johnson.
It is a situation that now means Aimee Johnson has to find an alternative to her current alternative.
"I guess I have to go to regular school now, and I guess you just have to deal with it," said Johnson.
The budget will now move to the County Commission for approval later this month.
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