School Mess - by HoneyBee

How did we get into this mess and does it even matter? So many fingers are being pointed around, but at this point we just need to fix it. On one hand, we have a Superintendent who has not proposed any meaningful cuts to get down to the number that we need to. On the other hand, we have a mayor that maybe out of frustration has proposed cuts that might be politically popular, but seem arbitrary and not entirely what is needed.

It has been the popular notion that administrators need to be cut. And while I agree with Facilities and Operations and many of the suggested cuts from Central Administration (i.e. that crazily overstaffed and overpaid Human Resources Department), I cannot believe that cutting adjustment counselors and leaving no vice-principals at our middle schools makes sense. I also question getting rid of directors of arts and athletics. To me these proposed cuts, are a political move made to appease all the people that have been crying for administrative cuts. Unfortunately, most people do not realize who in included in administration and what an adverse affect some of those cuts will have.

I realize that cuts need to be made, including cutting some important members of administration. One thing Dr. Fischer has done an exemplary job of, is hiring sound Principals. Principal Ralph Olsen from Durfee recommended $450,000 in cuts from Durfee (as asked) and was laughed out of the room (even though it sounded like good choices to me). Every teacher, parent, student and support staff at Durfee I have spoken with thinks he has done a tremendous job. Durfee has not had a more positive attitude in many years. How, in this time of despair, can we not trust his judgment on the best places to make cuts? How in the world can we believe that mayor knows better than him? Or the school committee for that matter? Ralph Olsen says the business department is not working. I believe him. It was not working 20 years ago. Get rid of it! Why would we rather lose VP’s at middle schools (and leave none) than get rid of a failed program?

Furthermore, the four principals had to come up with three tiers of cuts in the spring. At the time, not many cuts were made at that level because the school committee incorrectly thought they had gotten down to the number. Why aren’t they going back to those suggestions? Dr. Fischer should be going back to these proposals and recommending those suggestions that make sense. It would be a much better start then the Mayor being forced to recommend cuts that do not seem to make sense.

Last night’s meeting was a pissing match on how much really needs to be cut. Is it the 3.5M that the mayor and his staff believe or closer to 2M as Kevin Aguiar believes? Shawn Cadime made a motion to suspend the vote until Monday because he and Kevin Aguiar are not comfortable with the 3.5M and the administration has info that they will be giving them today that Cadime/Aguiar feel will back up the number that needs to be cut. Aguiar and Cadime seemed comfortable with the fact that there are 2M in cuts. Since every day makes things worse, why not make the 2M in cuts last night? Why not put the potentially laid off workers out of their misery? Why not slow the bleeding last night and meet on Monday and determine what else needs to be done?
This has been going on for weeks and the Superintendent has not really given a proposal to make the necessary cuts and the longer it goes on, the more cuts will be have to made because they are continuing to incur payroll. Fischer is not arguing the number. If anything he is encouraging the school committee not to count on cost savings, so why can't he and his staff come up with a proposal?

The school committee is always asking the leadership team for answers and then meetings are continued. Why can't the questions and answers come behind the scenes and decisions be made at meetings? The committee, leadership team and the Mayor’s office should be working much better together between meetings so decisions can be made effectively and efficiently during meetings, instead of all this silly bantering back and forth about numbers.

I can understand the mayor’s frustration. The longer the cuts take the worse shape we will be in. The more days that people work, the higher the deficit is, the more job cuts will need to be made in the end. Every day that goes by is costing us money. As all this is going on, Dr. Fischer is hiring and promoting people in clerk positions even though there is a hiring freeze and high paying administrators are receiving vacation payback. This is absolutely ridiculous. It makes it hard to suggest bargaining with the unions when administrators are asking for vacation buyback. On the other hand, some of the administration seems willing to take a 5% cut and people just love the thought of that, but I think it should be fair and equitable. If Dr. Fischer and Mrs. Mayo Brown are willing to take 5% cuts, the teachers, paraprofessionals, clerks and maintenance should be open to negotiating. It is many of their own losing jobs.

Most importantly….why not raise taxes? Yes, we are in tough times, but where are people without an education? The Mayor has made so many unpopular moves in 10 months. Why not this one? The fact of the matter is the amount of money in the school budget is simply not enough to provide what our children need for an enriching education. Why should we have to make choices between business programs and guidance counselors or class sizes of 30 or middle school vice principals? Bite the bullet. Raise taxes. Let’s put our money where our mouth is. If we raise taxes, we can pay teachers and administration a fair wage, reduce class room sizes, and give our children all that they need. Who is not willing to strap down a little tighter so we can provide a solid education for our children?