Two of Connecticut's technical high schools might be on the chopping block and lawmakers of both parties are fighting the governor to save them.
As part of her proposed budget cuts to close a multi-billion dollar budget gap, Gov. M. Jodi Rell is considering closing the Bristol Technical Education Center and the J.M. Wright School in Stamford.
On Tuesday, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, parents and students will turn out at both schools, taking their pleas to save them to the public.
These schools offer training in plumbing, heating and air conditioning repair, auto repair, culinary arts and many other trades. Supporters say the schools give students practical skills that they can take directly into the workforce and into the state's economy.
The high cost of running these technical schools makes them a more attractive item to cut in a year where lawmakers are faced with tough budget choices.
Enrollment at Bristol TEC is nearly full. That is not the case at J.M. Wright, where they are running at roughly a third of their capacity with a small number of students showing interest in applying to attend this fall.
