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Broken pencils used to protest Paterson education cuts

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Advocates dumped thousands of broken pencils during a press conference in Albany's Legislative Office Building on Wednesday in a protest over Governor Paterson's plan to cut more than a billion dollars from education in next year's budget.

The demonstrators said the damaged pencils symbolize the broken promises to children.

The Governor says, in this economy everyone needs to make sacrifices, and New York spends 60% above the national average on each student.

But advocates say children shouldn't suffer.

"It's unacceptable in the downturn in the economy that we don't invest in our future," said Glynda Carr of Education Voters of New York.

Billy Easton, with the Alliance for Quality Education, told NEWS10, "There's not money growing on trees, but we're saying our school children have to be first in line."

Explaining his position during his budget address Tuesday, Paterson said, "We can no longer tax the wealthiest New Yorkers, we can no longer borrow so as to increase our debt service."

Still, advocates insist all $1.4 billion should be restored.