[applause] >> i am susanna morgan. i am an art teacher with the star arts program that is being consolidated, so i have been an art teacher for four years, and every year i have received a layoff notice. in the past, budget came through, and i was able to keep my job. this year, my services are no longer needed. i cannot begin to tell you how it is heartening to this process is. i work hard. -- how is heartening -- disheartening this process is. i work hard, yet every year my job is devalued. i chose to teach art because when i was in school it was the one subject where i could xl. it was the one class were my imagination was incorrect and wrong answers did not exist. it was the one place i found strength in school. there are students who need the arts to thrive and to keep them motivated in other subjects. our students need the opportunity to be able to express themselves through an art form, and they should have that opportunity in public education. by cutting the arts, we are getting further from our goals of provid