Posted on 05/14/2013 5:36:30 AM PDT by EBH
Summer break has started very early for kids in one Michigan school district.
Buena Vista schools have been closed for five days already, and on Monday, the district's website stated that the school would be closed until further notice. For good reason, this decision has parents, and the community, up in arms.
The problem in Buena Vista is that the school district, educating approximately 450 kids, is out of money. All the teachers have been laid off and a financial emergency has been declared. The district has suffered from declining enrollment, which, in turn, has led to a loss of $3 million in state funding since 2010.
In an effort to keep schools open, teachers said they would work without pay. This is not possible under Michigan law so educators have been left in limbo. To make matters worse, the staff has also lost their health insurance.
The Buena Vista School District website states that they consider it their "highest calling to be entrusted with the care and education of the community’s children."
This sounds nice, but what about the students left hanging with unfinished class work? This lingering question has yet to be answered.
In the midst of the chaos, parents have been trying to transfer their children to other districts. Given the school year is almost over, it's not the most opportune time for kids to switch schools. Some nearby districts are looking at every student on a case-by-case basis.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Boomdy Boom BOOM!
So where did they spend the money?
Now maybe the kids can learn something? Bet none of the teachers understand why socialism doesn’t work.
Pray for America to Wake Up
The government spent all the money on ‘diversity’ programs and researching if shrimp can walk on treadmills, and also on terrorist agencies overseas.
Were I a homeowner in that district, I would withhold that part of my property taxes that represents School Board Assessments and enroll my child in a private school.
If enough people did this, the state would have to take action and make that school board stop pissing away money.
Gotta love that spin. Poor school districts are "out of money" because nasty Republican governors are cutting their state aid ten times more than aid to affluent districts. Sounds horrible. But, of course, what's left unsaid is that the poor districts are the ones getting the money. If an affluent district isn't getting aid, then its "aid" budget isn't being cut at all. And the idea that schools are "out of money" is more spin. The schools aren't "out of money"; they aren't taking enough it to support their massive, bloated, administration-laden cost structures. That is the issue.
Our county schools are faced with a similar problem.
Declining enrollment means bad news for a lot of teachers and administrators. The schools will not close, but drastic cuts in staff, teachers and number of schools will occur this summer.
There is simply no alternative
What they are saying on the radio here is that they used some funds from the state inappropriately and were denied further funding so that caused a huge deficit.
Also just a few minutes ago on WSGW heard that seniors will graduate this year, in spite of not being able to attend class. They will also do some enrichment stuff this summer, but I wonder how they can even do this without paying the union teachers.
bump
Michigan District Fires All Teachers, Closes Every School...I.Q.s improve 50%.
Our schools just went through some cuts here due to declining enrollment. They closed several schools and consolidated the classes.
What they didn’t do? Layoff any teachers etc. All the staff transferred with the kids. Smart eh?
My analysis......
At some point there was a budget based on an actual and or estimated number of students. If the number drops during the year, the day came when there was no money left and still before the end of the year.
Since there were students, there was still money coming in but not adequate to fund the remaining days.
Proof, once again, that the American public schools are there to provide jobs for Democrats, not educate children.
My prediction:
Someone was skimming money somewhere. That’s what usually happens when systems suddenly run out of money.
In Virginia, students have to attend school for a minimum number of days to graduate. We hit a snag when we had a snowstorm after the last day was announced. The kids had to go to school in the snow.
These parents can educate their kids for almost free these days, if they have access to a library or a computer and the will and drive to do it.
Check out Khan Academy, Ron Paul Academy (online) , any history books from the libary (written pre-1960), great literature, etc. Plus there are massive amounts of homeschooling materials available for pretty low cost, especially if you buy second hand.
If these parents cared enough they could do it. Doesn’t solve the problem of how to proceed if moms are working, but I’m just saying - a government school system really isn’t necessary for education.
Eggs Ackley! Declining enrollment means the schools must downsize.
The recent announcement was that there would be schools closed, teachers laid off and the size of the administrative staff was being reviewed.
The uproar is over what schools will be closed and how the potential grade adjustments and placements will be made.
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