School Tax election offers a lesson

There is a lesson to be learned from the school tax election last Saturday.

The $210,000,000 bond issue was approved – barely – by just over 300 votes out of more than 9,000 cast.

The proposal for employee pay increases was denied, as was the funding for new technology.

This is a shame, as the technology funding was the proposal that most immediately affects our school kids. So far as the employee raises, had it only affected teachers, aides, custodial staff, cafeteria staff and clerical staff I believe it would have passed. In my opinion, what killed it was the idea of giving several people who make over $100,000 per year a hefty raise. In tough economic times, people who are struggling on half that amount or less were not just not willing to do it.

As for the bond issue, it was a grudging yes after a hard discussion. As a sidenote, I thought the celebrations by School Board members and upper-echelon employees were somewhat disgusting. They were acting like giddy teenagers when they needed to show the voters that they take them seriously.

A lot of people are also questioning why the board rolled back the current millage when they could have used the full millage to meet some of the needs that they now claim are urgent.

Bossier Parish voters have a hard time saying ‘no’ to anything for our schools. With two renewals coming up next year, this really should be a wake-up call to the board and the administration.

Professor Jeff Sadow addresses these questions in ‘Normally compliant voters send Bossier schools message’.

Technology

The state has mandated end of course testing for core classes, sort of a graduation exit exam. Again, this is mandated testing that must take place within a certain time frame.

These tests are all computer based.

Also, the new Common Core curriculum is now upon us and that is also a computer based testing mandate. Unfunded, of course - the state isn't interested in buying computer labs for public schools.

Seniors in Bossier Parish are required to complete a Senior Project prior to graduation; they must present this project to a panel of judges from the community. The presentations are more often than not on a Powerpoint presentation which requires...you guessed it - technology.
It is difficult to make a Powerpoint presentation on an older laptop that constantly has to be rebooted during the presentation.

I have talked to a couple of teachers, and they are more upset about lack of funding for technology than they are about being denied raises. Although some people seem unaware, our teachers really do put the interests of their students – our children – first.

This is from a Bossier Parish teacher:

I went into my classroom this morning and put a new box of Kleenex on the desk for the kids to use. I put it next to the large bottle of hand sanitizer that I bought at the same time.

Then I opened a package of  notebook paper and put in the tray for the kids without paper to use. I bought that, too. I also opened a new package of pens and one of pencils to put in the cup for those kids who get to school with nothing to write with.

The pencil sharpener to sharpen those pencils? I bought it.

When I wrote today's assignments on the board I used dry erase markers that I bought at WalMart.

When the kids left today, because so many were sneezing and sniffling from allergies, I wiped the desks down with Anti-Bacterial Wipes that I bought at Super One.
How many dollars have I given away out of my own pocket to kids that are thirsty after school or don't have lunch money?

In the evening I grade papers and make lesson plans.

As the election results came in Saturday night, KTBS posted an update on their Facebook feed. The comments there were nasty. Not all of them, but there were plenty that were just uninformed, false, and hateful. One person suggested that teachers "eat less" and another said that most of the teachers he sees are driving fancy and expensive cars. Speaking just for myself, for the past few years I drove a twenty year old car that was second hand when I got it; it had no heat, no radio, bad tires, cracked seats and an overheating problem. I don't see a lot of luxury vehicles in the parking lot, to be honest.

The Lesson

So what is the lesson that is to be learned?

It’s not only for the School Board, but for all elected officials as well.

City officials who are up for re-election next year, and those who will present themselves for office should also take notice.

The people are tired of the status quo and are beginning to demand accountability and will not accept mismanagement of the resources that they willingly have given to public bodies in the past.

This tax election is just the beginning.