I find it very troubling that this forum is being used by some to pound on their chest and point out how the “other side” is wrong or “misinformed” or spouting “false sound bites.”
The public needs to remember that there are always two sides to an argument, and either side will shade its points to favor their argument.
For instance, School Board member Kathy Paspalis states:
“We asked the (teachers) union to meet with the negotiation team in August. And September. And October… But the union came to the table and gave its first response in January. That's January 2011. And if the union doesn't start negotiating until January, we're not going to have a contract ready prior to the March 15 noticing time. And as a result, we had to send out March 15 notices. It’s just that simple.”
I do not know what the specifics of the exchange between the union and the Board were and what exactly the “negotiation” was going to cover; but I do know that I am reading a 2010-2011 First Interim Report prepared by Ali Delawalla on Dec. 14, 2010 that shows unrestricted General Fund multi-year projections with a declining positive balance through the 2012-2013 school year.
A declining balance, but a positive balance nonetheless.
The Certification Status is also positive. “Positive Certification specifies that the District meets the state-required reserve for Economic Uncertainty of 3 percent in Fiscal Year 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, and that the District will have an unappropriated ending balance of $871,924.”
In response to Bonnie Wacker's “To Cut Administrators Is Really Shortsighted””
Is it not also shortsighted to cut teachers?
As I understand the meetings that took place, there was a budget meeting that was open to the community for “brainstorming.”
The union offered many ideas. Just because the union offered the ideas does not mean that they all have to be carried out.
Just because you RIF (reduction in force) an administrator does not mean that you have to follow through on that if a better solution comes about.
Perhaps some administrative duties could be transferred to a teacher in or out of classroom coordinator position. Remember that teachers are being asked to do more with less also. It is not just the administrators that are working in “bare bones” situations.
Mr. Hodge may be contacted at bjhodge@pacbell.net
