They want the Jordan School District to reconsider eliminating 500 jobs.

They want lawmakers to change state laws to help the district.

And they want parents and teachers statewide to know that unless changes are made to the way the state funds education, other districts could suffer the same fate as Jordan.

Those were the messages about 40 Jordan teachers and parents delivered Wednesday at a rally at the State Capitol organized by the Utah Education Association (UEA) and Jordan Education Association (JEA). The teachers, many of whom took personal days from work to attend, said education in the district is reaching a breaking point.

"This is the first time in 24 years I've heard teachers say, 'I just can't do this,' " said John Lambourne, an assistant football coach and teacher at Bingham High. The Jordan Board, in the face of a projected $30 million shortfall, has decided to cut 500 jobs, eliminate a high school teacher preparation period and increase class sizes. "As the teachers get burned out, the kids will get burned out."

Those at the rally said they want lawmakers to pass HB295, a bill to allow districts to tap into building funds to pay for everyday needs temporarily. For Jordan, the bill could mean $5 to $10 million to help fill a projected $30 million shortfall for next school year. The House Education Committee approved the bill unanimously Tuesday.

Parents, teachers and union leaders also discussed the need to change Utah's tax structure in order to better fund education. Kim Campbell, UEA president, said lawmakers should re-examine the state's corporate taxes and its recently implemented flat tax. The implementation of the flat tax, a 2006 expansion of tax brackets, and a reduction in the rate paid by the state's top wage earners have already cost schools hundreds of millions of dollars, according to the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel.

"All the districts in the state are going to be in crisis if we don't do something," Campbell said. "Jordan is just one of the first and hardest hit."

JEA president Robin Frodge said a teacher strike is "not currently part of our plan," but teachers plan to hold informational pickets outside schools for the next three Thursdays during parent-teacher conferences.

Wednesday's rally was also part of a larger push to ease the district's financial woes. Several parents are working on an initiative to encourage shopping within the district's boundaries. Paul Pugmire is working on a Web site, which he plans to call shopwest.org, which would help direct parents to participating retailers. The initiative would not yield results for a few years, but Pugmire feels it could be part of a long-term solution.

In the meantime, Jordan parents and teachers say they worry about their children's education. District Superintendent Barry Newbold has said the school board will likely wait until lawmakers decide on a state education budget for the next school year before deciding whether it can find another way to handle the $30 million shortfall.

Shona Sorensen, a Bingham High English teacher, said her job might be on the line because she's only been with the district for about a year and a half. But she said mostly she's concerned about her colleagues, the loss of prep periods and class size increases. She said she already has 35 students in one of her classes.

"I make do because I have to, but at some point you can't make do any more," Sorensen said.