Protests took a creative edge Wednesday evening when more than 150 Berkeley parents, teachers, students and administrators gathered in front of the Old City Hall to oppose the impending budget cuts to California schools.

The tentative cuts are part of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s plan to close the $14.5 billion state budget deficit by cutting 10 percent of funding to all state programs, which would involve up to a $4.4 billion cut from K-12 education.

The demonstration featured speeches, songs and skits by members of the school community. One group of teachers put on a skit, complete with costumes and masks, depicting the governor and his “yacht-owning” cronies as villains and the school teachers as superheroes. The plot of the skit mirrored the current situation, but at the end of the stand-off between the state and the school districts, the governor decided not to cut school funding.Afterwards, another group of district employees sang parodies of songs about the budget cuts and the importance of funding public education, including a parody of “Big Rock Candy Mountain,” which talked about a “Big Rock Candy Unified” school district, an imaginary place where the schools are well-funded. One teacher accompanied the chorus on his guitar.

Many children attended with their parents and were among the most enthusiastic chanters and sign-carriers.

“Save our teachers! Save our teachers!” chanted one group, while jumping up and down with their signs.

The school district has already been forced to send lay off notices to about 50 employees in order to cope with a possible funding loss of up to $3.7 million.

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