"Save the teachers, stop the cuts:" Hundreds of students, teachers rally outside MPS headquarters

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Hundreds of students and teachers rallied outside MPS headquarters. Organizers blame Governor Scott Walker and the State Legislature for deep cuts to public schools across the state.

The informational picket happened just before an MPS school board meeting. School leaders are scrambling to address a $30 million budget shortfall.

"Children who used to have PE, art, and music twice a week might have it twice a month," said MTEA Vice President Amy Mizialko.

The Milwaukee Teacher's Education Association led the protest. Their Vice President says the cuts started years ago.

"We have school nurses who don't have band-aids right now to give to children when they hurt themselves on the playground," said Mizialko.

Protesters say the board can fix the problem short term by cutting from the top. Picketers pushed into the administration building before an organizational board meeting but only a handful attended. 

The proposed budget cuts were not on the board's agenda. However, they did elect a new president and vice president.