I work in a school district that has large numbers of student in the socioeconomic catagories that generate a large influx of federal dollars. The leaders here would not have it any other way. In spite of that they always cry “poor” and act like we are underfunded. We have laid off all of the librarians in middle school, cut back on office staff, cut teacher salaries and don’t have enough custodians.
If you pay attention, you would get a real sense of cognitive dissonance.
In a recent e-mail from our district leader (fearless of course) there were some interesting numbers. We are spending $27,000,000 on a new middle school for 600+ students in the northeast corner of our school district. Currently most of the students who live in that area are sent to our school. Our school is running around 600+. In the past we have had attendance as high as 1,500. Our principal is worried about having our middle school shut down because of falling enrollment. Do you see a problem here? Add to that the $1,000,000 spent to redecorate the quad in the middle of the campus and update the gymnasium and again you ask, “What?”
We were also informed that the district has purchased 4,000 Chromebooks for use in the current testing. At the official Chromebook site you find them listed for $279. Do the math. My answer is over $1,000,000.
I could go on. Again I submit to you that the schools of our nation are not underfunded. It is just a matter of tax money being wasted by a group of people who don’t understand the value of a dollar. To adopt a story told about a rich man: How much money does it take to make an educator happy? Just a little bit more.
homo unius libri
It's that way all over - good programs get cut so they can idiotic stuff.
ReplyDeleteWhat does it say about the population that keeps electing the same school boards? I keep urging people with common sense to run but they just laugh at me. Of course, I don't run where I live either, so who am I to criticize.
DeleteGrace and peace.