Groups stood on busy corners in St. Pete and Clearwater on Thursday

CLEARWATER, Fla. - State Road 580 in clearwater is covered with signs for drivers, alerting them to make important decisions.

Under one of the signs Thursday afternoon, was a man with his own sign.

"Tense and nervous," said Countryside High School teacher Rick Amstutz.

That's how Amstutz describes the attitude of most Pinellas County teachers. An attitude, he says, they've tried to hide from their students.

"How we equip them today is going to go well into the future," said Michelle Dennard, Instructional Staff Developer for Title I Center.

The upcoming elections follow what the educators, rallying Thursday in Clearwater and in St. Petersburg, call their hardest year ever.

"In November, in the general election, we want to make some changes in Tallahassee," said Northeast Hgh School Counselor Jim Jackson.

Last year, Pinellas County Schools cut $55 million, and with it, hundreds of teaching positions.

The ones left standing say they're left with more students and fewer resources.

"It's not just about us. It's really about the future of our children," Dennard said. "It's like flying on an airplane and the airplane is still being built."

An airplane, they say, that's filled with kids.

"What are you telling our kids? It's not that important?" Amstutz said. "[We're out here] making sure people realize that the people they vote for, they're the ones who decide how much funding the schools get."