Sarasota residents rallied today in support of teachers, students with disabilities and underprivileged children, protesting proposed federal education cuts. Organizers say the cuts would disproportionately harm special education programs and Title I funding for low-income students, jeopardizing civil rights and access to quality public education for all. Protesters urged the School Board of Sarasota County to prioritize student funding, regardless of political considerations. "Over $20 million goes to the IDEA special education funding and almost $12 million goes to Title I which is funding for low-income students. It's going to devastate those programs," Carol Lerner, the chair of Support Our Schools, said. "We want to protect our students, protect our families, protect our teachers, protect the school district from what seems to be the plan, which is basically to defund education, starting with the most vulnerable," Lerner added. "We need to be very vigilant and make sure that our children, especially, are safe from these cuts," Wendi Rosen of Support Our Schools said. "I want our school board to really understand what's coming down because I don't think that people really realize that all of this is going to be happening in reality," Rosen said. Several of the community members also spoke at the school board meeting. MORE: https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/education/sarasota-rally-education-department-trump-plans/67-aa9a4fa3-a0d9-47b3-85fc-053a94722e33