Number of teachers to change next year
Yesterday, I mentioned some of the budgetary difficulties that are facing our town and state governments. In particular, many of us know about difficulties for the schools. And the NHRs Luther Turmelle reported:
Faced with the likelihood of a more than $1 million shortfall in state aid, the Board of Education is facing some hard choices...
The superintendent of schools said “Let’s just say we probably won’t have the same number we have this year.”
Including the word "probably" was important because if we don't know how many teachers we currently have, making a statement with certainty would be impossible.
And taking a trip down memory lane to the budget meetings in March '05...
Here's a not-so-great copy of the spreadsheet I created that drew the ire of many...
And of course, this was the spreadsheet that led me to ask that "mean-spirited" question:
How many teachers do we have?
The Advocates of Big Government then accused me of "asking legitimate questions, but in the wrong forum" and being "uncollaborative."
Personally, the former was my favorite. I had been on the Council for only sixteen months and I already caught a glimpse of what was to come... that asking a question at a public meeting was not going to be tolerated by the future Rubber Stamper majority.
Tim White
2 comments:
the way to tell our teachers how important they are is to approve an unaffordable raise for them, and then fire a whole bunch when the budget doesn't balance
Maybe it's time for the Boe & TC to come together and request that the State allow the redirection of the $525,000 turf grant. At the last Boe meeting it was stressed how important academics are. Let's use the money for academics - possibly it could be used to save nearly 11 teacher positions.
What's more important now - academics or athletics? I guess we'll find out the answer as the budget unfolds.
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