As I have stated on numerous occasions, I have trouble understanding some of my Observations on human behavior. I attempt to define what I see within the boundary of logic and more often than not I find myself shaking my head in disbelief and frustration. Especially when some follow blindly monetary wolves in sheep clothing preying on our desire to support the common good while chipping away at the foundation of our community.
A couple of weeks ago I wrote an article that pertained to people wasting time, money and resources over inconsequential matters www.uselessdebates.blogspot.com . In it I questioned the reasons of parents making noise over issues that the majority felt insignificant. On the other side of the coin, a recent education budget dispute in our two towns that form our regional school system is a perfect example of people disregarding a serious matter while buying into the hype that all the money the school board was asking for was entirely for the children. "Vote Yes for Education!" "Support Our Schools!" "Do It For Our Children's Future!". Slogans that have adorned our lawns, have been written on the windows of cars and silk screened on the brightly colored t-shirts of people who should be questioning where the money is going, but choose not to.
Why? If there was ever a matter to query administrators motives or policy making over, wouldn't 33 million dollars be enough for some, if not most of us to ask why?... or at least, what? As in... Why so much? What is it being spent on? When a school system repeatedly asks for increases year after year, there has to be some red flags in the proposal, somewhere. For as much as some support our school board without examination and push to get budgets passed, it amazes me that hardly anyone looks at them line by line. Maybe if they did, they would question the educational bureaucrats more than they do when it comes to hard issues. Unfortunately, the reality is that the only line most choose to see is the one attached to the hook and sinker.
For instance, if they looked, they may realize that in 2013-2014 we voted in a 4.9% increase that amounted to over 2.2 million dollars. This was mostly for security improvements due to the Sandy Hook incident. Fair enough. We gave another small increase in 2014-2015, another 2% in 2015-2016 and yet another 1.28% just a few days ago. Doesn't seem like much when you look at in yearly increases, does it? In fact, most would say they were nominal. Until you realize that the original 4.9% from 13-14, you know... that 2.2 million dollars, was never conceded after the security improvements were put in place and has been absorbed into the schools day to day spending for the past two years. Since maintenance is never as expensive as implementation, the obvious question is...Where is the money going and why haven't they given it back? Red flag #1.
Another thing our towns fail to understand is that the national average for educational spending per student is around $11,000.00. Our towns alone currently spend $18,300.00 per student and has increased that amount from $17,500.00 in 2013 despite a 2.4% drop in our school enrollment. Some of our citizens have cited that we should emulate our neighboring towns educational budget techniques and have asked for some insight from them on how they get their budgets passed as we have so much trouble with ours. The answer is simple... if they looked. The miraculous success they seem to have is because they are more realistic in what they ask for from their taxpayers. Although their budget is nearly three times our amount, their schools have almost 4 times the student body we have, they use their 61 million dollars in a more efficient way as they spend only $15,700.00 per student. Taxpayers like that. Realistic numbers that reflect what is actually needed. If people would only take the time to research the numbers, they might realize why so many people vote No in our town when a referendum is called. Red flags #2 & #3.
Another thing that hinders a realistic budget for us is voter turnout. Our towns fails dramatically in getting people to the polls for any type of vote, much less for a budget that effects us all. Maybe more than an average of 21% would show up to voice their opinion if they understood that we pay our superintendent $170,000.00 per year and we also just voted in a $4000.00 raise to the position for next year. Now I know that $4000.00 may not seem like much when you put it up against a salary that most of us will never see in our lifetime and that's the slap in the face. Why does the superintendent need a raise? What? $170,000.00 isn't enough? I know I could get by on that. Is four grand really that important or maybe it's because they know that we are not really paying attention. If we were, we could put in perspective that it comes down to a 2.35% increase for just the superintendent against a 3.74% increase that has to be shared among all the teachers in our district and we arrive at Red flag #4. Maybe that's enough to get more of us seeing the same color.
Even if that doesn't persuade a majority of taxpaying parents to see the world through a bulls eye, some may find it easier to make the transition when they learn that 46% of the 33 million they just gave the schools, to the tune of 15.3 million goes to certified salaries (administration/teachers), 11% (3.7 million) goes to classified salaries (aides/custodians), 17% (5.6 million) goes to benefits for said employees and 7% (2.3 million) goes to purchased instructional services. For those of you who are searching for your calculator, not to worry, I've got mine. A total of 81% of the budget we just passed goes to salaries and benefits alone. That comes to 31.9 million out of 33 million. How is that "Do it for the Kids" attitude feeling now?
Don't be concerned, my loyal reader, there is a little bit left over for the kiddies. For example, for departmental improvement, the board of education graciously gave almost $28,000.00 to the music programs in all four schools, $39,000.00 goes to athletic programs, $20,500.00 to develop curriculum and $11,700 goes to the physical education departments. They also, in their infinite wisdom, decided to spend $295,000.00 on technology in order to put a $200.00 device in the hands of every 7-9 year old and hold the parents of said children responsible for it's safety. They didn't forget the frugal voter either. To appease some who may have thought the budget was too high there were initiatives employed for the thrifty as they cut library funds for acquiring new books by 22.5%. Who needs books at a school anyway? The kids are better off without them. I for one find it comforting that our educational administrators are looking out for our children's needs and welfare, don't you? I know I sleep better at night with that knowledge and a couple of Ambien tablets washed down with a glass of wine.
Although I've been using my town as an example, I'm not just picking on Woodbury. We are just one particular case in one particular town. Collectively we are being bamboozled by school boards across the country and Woodbury is by far not the worst. Most systems push for high budgets based on the premise that we have to spend more in order to give our children the best education possible. Yeah, looks good on paper, but in reality those that even remotely buy that story are going to need a pretty big shovel to clear a path to the truth that most other countries are spending a lot less per student and are literally blowing us off the academic world map in subject matter statistics. Why is that? Something else that I can't make sense out of is why the yay sayers of such initiatives spend so much time and effort trying to convince the rest of us that they deserve our support. If it is such a good plan, shouldn't it be able to stand on it's own merits? We have to understand that just because any governing body claims it needs something doesn't make it fact. We have to be able to discern between what is needed and what is desired. I want an 1958 red and white Corvette in showroom condition. I also want drive-ins to make a comeback, heavy meal to re-rise and Hershey to start making the Bar None again. Doesn't mean I need those things.
The administration that we entrust with our education system has become the equivalent of a spoiled child demanding exorbitant amounts of wants with no logic of need within the request. When those requests are denied, they utilize a defensive tactic to initiate parental fear by playing the "Children will Suffer" card and parents run to the polls to avert the disaster while berating anyone who stands in the way of their child's education. Even though this tactic is not far from the truth as the sad reality is that salaries won't be what is cut in order to get the budget passed, we have to abandon the notion that people who vote "No" are against education. That couldn't be further from the truth. As a parent a school aged child, I consider it my responsibility to question what our educators are spending our tax dollars on in order to ensure that it is being used to benefit our children's best interests instead of just blindly voting it through just because they tell us to. It is also my responsibility to vote against any said proposals when they don't reflect that ideal. These contentious budget backsliders may claim that all they do is for the "kids", but in reality are holding our children's needs hostage as they strong arm us to give in to their demands. As far as our children's needs are concerned, what they don't need are cheerleaders standing outside the polling place waving their "Vote Yes" signs at any passerby that will acknowledge them. They don't need our school officials lip servicing the parents of our community into believing everything they say while putting a positive spin on a negative, self serving agenda and they certainly don't need politics dictating their education. What they do need are citizens who care enough about our community to research any proposal that is presented to us before we stuff the ballot box supporting it. Strictly an Observation. If you'll excuse me, I have to help my daughter with her math homework.
View my other articles, posts and Like Strictly an Observer on Facebook
View all strictly an Observer articles on Tumblr
Strictly an Observer is on Pinterest
Strictly an Observer is on My Space
Follow Strictly an Observer on Twitter
Follow Strictly an Observer on Google+
Contact Strictly an Observer. I welcome all comments.
