By Jim Sykes / Chronicle contributor
Educating our children is the most important responsibility of local government yet large segments of our population remain uneducated by our public school system. Nationally, the cost-per-student of public education is nearly twice that of private schools and public school teachers are among the worst-paid professionals. Meanwhile, 5,000 bureaucrats are employed in the federal Department of Education.
Like others, our local public school system claims that they just need more money but studies have shown that more money alone is not the answer. School officials sometimes attempt to obtain additional funds from local authorities by eliminating the most popular programs during budget deficits? Last year our Director of Schools eliminated the very popular and productive JROTC program. As expected, this action caused wide spread dissension and the citizens flooded our local newspaper and the members of the county commission with outrage. This approach worked last year but the same action this year resulted in the loss of a program that was one of the most successful in our school system in preparing students for the future. The JROTC program instilled initiative, respect for authority, self-reliance, discipline and many other personal attributes that all students will need as adults. Continuing this program would have cost approximately $115,000, less than 0.26 percent of the school budget.
So why did our DOS eliminate this important and productive program again this year? All public officials have learned that if they eliminate the most popular programs or services, the public will rise up in opposition and demand that the local funding authority provide more money. The DOS could have easily eliminated or reduced the size a less popular program without damaging any of the students. Was this an attempt to try to force the county to approve additional funds? Any time you hear claims that we need more money for the children; you might want to examine the agenda of the person making that claim.
Families and businesses are required to reduce expenses when they face a budget shortfall. The first thing that the government looks to is a way to impose new taxes or increase existing taxes. You will always hear the budget submitted by a government agency is “bare bones” but you seldom see where the money is being spent. You are asked to “trust me.” It’s your money, trust but verify. Demand that the budget of our entire county government be placed on the Internet in a way that the public can examine and understand. The estimate for textbooks for 2009-2010 is $468,280. How long do the textbooks last these days? The estimate for educational assistants is $740,500. What do these assistants do? The total for “Attendance” is $143,746, whatever that is. The total estimate for “Other Student Support” is $941,912. What is that? It might all be perfectly reasonable but it’s your money and you have a right to know.
The budget indicates that our commissioners and school board members might be receiving state retirement, medical, dental and life insurance, either partially or totally paid by the county. How many part time employees do you know with those benefits?
