More than 30 people signed up to speak at Tuesday night's Hillsborough County School Board meeting.

The majority of them spoke about the district's plan to eliminate about 1,000 school-based positions as part of budget cuts, including teachers, assistant principals and staff.

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Art teacher Lashonda Wilburn said she was notified Friday her position is being eliminated. She joined a group of protestors outside the school board meeting, asking administrators to rethink their plans.

"You know, I just purchased a home six months ago, and now I'm looking at how am I going to pay my mortgage. We were told arts jobs were safe, and now they're not," she said.

Superintendent Addison Davis said he inherited a district with financial problems.

"Addison Davis didn't create this financial problem, but I'm here trying to find solutions to this process. I protected teachers in the first half of cuts and employees, other than 40, and I will do my best once again to try to protect everyone in this organization as much and as long as I can," Davis said.

But people who spoke at the meeting wonder if the district is underestimating next year's enrollment numbers. They said more students will come back post-pandemic.

They also said staff cuts are the last thing students need right now.

"My 7th grader has had more language arts teachers than I can keep track of – six or seven, she's not sure. I think as adults we may forget how big of an impact this type of disruption can have on our vulnerable youth," Mary Kushin said.

Now, there’s a push to form a citizens’ advisory committee to give input about the budget and potential cuts.

"We deserve transparency from this board on where every tax dollar and every CARES dollar is being allocated," Jessica DuBois said.

​Davis said the district hopes to be able to move many of the displaced teachers into positions at other schools.

Wilburn said she's circulating her resume and hoping for the best.

"In May, I go into the pool, and it goes by seniority. And if I'm in that pool, when they call my name, hopefully there's something for me to pick from. Otherwise, I don't know what I'm going to do."