As you all know ... these forums were somewhat hijacked by one (or a couple) person who has an axe to grind against the new school board members.  They created fake accounts and flooded the board with posts from several fake user accounts.  They made crazy claims of conspiracy, and Frank, our loyal moderator, was able to uncover the actual conspiracy coming from these fake users.

I'd like to just start a new thread here that recognizes some very big and nice steps that the new School Board has taken to make the GVSD budget process remarkably open and accessible to everyone.

1. Holding the first ever open and public finance subcommittee meeting.
This subcommittee makes budget decisions and debates policy ... the old Board never televised it.  In fact, the old Board only sent a few members to the meeting where the policy was created.  We saw SEVEN of the nine board members at this meeting, televised, and open to all.  (the missing members were Carr and McTear).

2. Posting extensive budget information online.
The new superintendent and board are now putting some great materials online.  For example, the substitute days used by teachers were requested at a meeting, and astonishingly, the information was put online for all to see!!  We can now have real discussions of how the days are taken (whether pro or con).

3. Multiple Board Meetings devoted entirely to debate and discussion of the budget.
If you've followed the school board, the past two meetings have been amazing.  The Board actually discussed and debated live and in public.  The old Board rarely had discussions, back and forth arguments, or even questions.  This Board has already had multiple Board meetings devoted entirely to just this.  I'm sure more are to come.

Whether you disagree with the recent 2.9% cap, or you love it.  These are great steps that let the public get more involved.  

It's true, and people on both sides seem to agree that teacher and administration salaries/benefits make up the largest part of the budget.

I think those who seek fiscal discipline need to make a stronger argument.  It goes something like this.  First...the teachers' union negotiated yet another raise and the old school board gave it to them.  Teachers are getting raises above inflation again, and this during the greatest recession in decades.  After giving them raises for the next 4 years, 6 of the 9 board members left.  The superintendent left.  There is now very little accountability for these raises on the admin side.  Hence, the teachers union needs to take responsibility.

It is the teachers' raises that are cutting our kids' programs.  If you are scared that programs will be cut, ask the union to retract these raises and give back to the kids.

You see, the pro-tax side can always say, "it's for the kids".  The fiscal responsibility side now needs to take that same slogan, "it's for the kids", and shove it back into the union's face.  If you are for the kids, stop taking money away from our best programs like music and the arts, and giving it to yourselves.  See how I threw in music and the arts?  Don't leave that just for the pro-union people to use.  It's time for fiscal constraint to show that music and the arts can be empowered if we funded the arts more, and bloated union salaries less.

I'm glad you agree.  I was trying to start from a common starting point.  Are you mocking me for trying to establish a starting point of debate?




Why would you hear me do that.  This is about GV and our schools.



I do blame the old board.

I agree with much of what you say, too.  However, if you agree the contract was bad, why do you give the union a free pass?  Why do you only place responsibility on the board?  I'm assuming you believe our teachers want the best for our kids.  If yes, then everything I wrote about expecting teachers to help fund our programs should follow logically.  If no, then you are treating our teachers as simple employees and labor.  That's a reasonable position to have, but then I hope you will support the Board the next time we negotiate contracts and treat teachers as pure labor and not a type of saint that educates our kids out of the goodness of their hearts.