A top Democratic leader was in the South Bay to tour schools and urge Congress not to cut critical school funding.

Katherine Clark, the House Minority Whip, joined Congressman Sam Liccardo in Campbell on Wednesday to visit with school children and teachers as they stress the importance of keeping federal funding for schools.

"The essential fabric that's holding our communities together and holding families together," Liccardo said of schools and education.

Democrats said the proposed cuts would severely impact economically disadvantaged children in the area

Clark, who is the second-highest ranking Democrat in the House, said Rosemary Elementary School is the perfect example of how schools would be extremely hurt by budget cuts.

The school relies on the federal government for 34% of its budget. That includes funding to support low-income students, special education, and school lunches.

"That is not only good for an individual child and family, it's how we build strong communities," Clark said. "It's how we have economic prosperity in this country."

A fifth grade student named Gael explained how those programs helped him.

"ELD helped me learn the words, understand how to speak better, and get more confident in myself," he said. "It made me proud of how much I've improved, and I know my parents are proud too."

The president has signed an executive order to dissolve the Department of Education, but has said Title I funding would remain.

But the representatives say a House committee approved a plan that would eliminate $330 billion in education funding over the next decade.

"This playbook is written down. It’s written down in Project 2025 and what we are seeing is this administration systematically going through and implementing those cuts. And Title I is right there," Clark said.

Clark and Liccardo said there will be hearings about the proposed education cuts in about two weeks.

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Original story HERE.