Childcare Advocates Participating in “A Day Without Childcare” Rally

DULUTH, Minn.– The importance of prioritizing childcare centers and providers is being highlighted across the country today including in Duluth.

Childcare providers, teachers and parents gathered at ‘Young Minds Learning Center’ to highlight the importance of properly funded childcare.

A press conference, march, a rally, and multiple center closures happened in Duluth to drive the point home.

The advocates are hoping the outcome of “A Day Without childcare” will bring awareness to fair early learning scholarship funds, right-size regulating for the centers,
and the ‘Great Start Affordability Bill’, to assist families with the cost of childcare and education.

“I know that it’s difficult for some to understand why childcare and how childcare is so expensive. Most of the tuition families pay goes to our teachers and our staff. If we have to increase, it will be to pay our staff or to give them a raise. If we can’t pay competitive wages, we don’t have staff. And without staff we cannot care for the children at our center. So instead of closing one day, we would have to close forever,” said Megan Schmitz, a teacher at Lakeside Early Learning.

“We just want to bring to light the issues because we deserve the same pay and same funding as K-12 schools get. It feels really great to hear a lot of honking and that people are aware of this issue and are of support of us,” said Shinedala Berg, an advocate for early childhood education funding.

Another point highlighted included the consequences of inadequate childcare funding which could keep parents at home and then in turn affect the U.S. workforce.