Cony Students Stage Walkout to Protest Proposed 2027 Budget Cuts in Augusta

Students at Cony High School walked out of classes Thursday, April 30, and marched to Augusta City Hall to protest proposed reductions in the Augusta School Department’s budget for the 2027 fiscal year.

The demonstration came one day after the school board held an emergency meeting to identify roughly $2.5 million in cuts, which it presented to the Augusta City Council ahead of a final budget vote later Thursday night. The reductions are part of a broader city effort to slash approximately $6.6 million from the combined city and school budgets in response to pressure from conservative councilors and tax-weary residents seeking to limit property tax increases.

Students and supporters say the proposed cuts would harm education quality, extracurricular activities, and student support services. Specific measures in the $2.5 million reduction plan include: Elimination or reduction of more than a dozen positions, including teaching, social work, administrative, and education technician roles. Also, the possible introduction of a partial “pay-to-play” fee for student-athletes of approximately $100 per sport per season. Even more severe options discussed by the board (but not included in the current proposal) included a full “pay-to-play” system costing up to $700 per year per athlete, a year-long suspension of all co-curricular clubs and organizations, and the complete elimination of bus transportation for high school students.