Dear Editor:
I presented budget concerns to our local board members recently in an e-mail.
My e-mail addressed spending on the numerous administrators. (non-teaching staff) I questioned the necessity of these positions along with the recent proposals to renovate McKelvie School. My e-mail to the board members addressed these TWO spending initiatives.
I also asked how private/Parochial schools function with buildings in need of dire repair? How do these schools function without an abundance of non-teaching administrators? I suggested the Board members visit these schools and talk to the principals and ask them how they are able to put out a quality product without the additional "spending".
I did get two replies indicating Bedford has to provide transportation, special ed services, etc. I never addressed those costs in my e-mail because those are costs that are needed to run this school district. I suspect from their response, my message wasn’t fully comprehended.
Don Graff did send a gracious reply indicating he understands my concerns.
In Bedford we have a Superintendent, Curriculum Superintendent, Math/Science Coordinator, Math Coach, Assessment Specialist, Behavior Specialist, School to Career Coordinator, School to Work Coordinator, Community Youth Worker, Deans, Integration Specialist and a Writing Coach. In the private schools you will not find many of these administrative positions yet they manage to educate students for a path to college or an entry level job.
Buildings need to be maintained. They need heat they need a roof that doesn’t leak. Voters understand this. However when a Principal says he wants to change the cosmetics because a student who comes to the Principal’s office doesn’t get privacy sitting on a bench in the hallway, that sounds completely out of touch with what is going on in this economy.
These are concerns that all voters need to consider.
On top of these costs, we continue to pay for the International Baccalaureate program that not only seeks to politically indoctrinate the students, it also undermines U.S. sovereignty by carrying forward a United Nations agenda within the curriculum. In the new budget, we will now have to pay for an IB Coordinator. So while schools around the country abandon this program due to the excessive costs, fleecing the Bedford taxpayer forges ahead.
When the school comes to the voters with their hands out, these might be issues one considers in the voting booth!
Sincerely,
Ann Marie Banfield
