To the editor:
I am concerned about the future of our children and our schools.
Why has there been no discussion of cutting the numerous administrative positions that have been added in our school corporation over the past 15 to 20 years?
What is more important than the teachers and the paraprofessionals who work directly with our children in the classroom?
Why are we paying top wages for our “white house” staff, including the superintendent? Make a comparison to other schools our size and the wages and perks their administrators receive.
Why have the number of people working in the the superintendent’s office multiplied over the years? Computers should have made all these jobs much more efficient, lessening the need for employees. Many of these jobs have big perks, like full health insurance.
Why have our taxes gone way up yet, there is a financial crisis?
I am proud to say that I was a teacher for 37 years, seven in Ohio and 30 here in the Brown County Schools. I am concerned to see the direction our school corporation has chosen to take.
It is sad to see the financial dilemma our schools have created, but it is sadder still to see where the cuts are projected to balance the budget. There is nothing more important than the actual classroom environment. The ratio or number of students to the teacher is critical.
Here are some new administrative jobs that have been created since the days when I hired in. Cut these and you would save at least $500,000 when you figure all their perks.
Full-time athletics director at the high school. Many schools our size have a half-time AD who teaches half the day. Also compare the pay and overtime for this position to other schools our size.
Added an assistant principal at the intermediate school just several years ago. There is about $80,000 including perks.
Added an assistant principal at the junior high school several years ago. There is about $80,000 including perks.
I read last winter that several athletic positions were just added, such as another track coach when we already have several very good ones. Do we put athletics over the importance of classroom learning?
Let’s look at all the jobs that have been added at the superintendent’s building, the “white house.” When I was hired in there was one bookkeeper/treasurer. Now with the aid of computers there are three people working in that spot. There are also numerous other positions with big perks up there. At one point, just a few years ago, there were two assistants to the superintendent. This is unheard of in a school our size. Carol Walker functioned many years with no assistant. They may call it a new name, but it is just another added job at the top. Those two jobs paid about $200,000.
Added perks like a car for the superintendent. What are all the other perks and their costs that have been added over the past 20 years for the superintendent and administrative staff?
It is so sad that the administration cut essential programs like Chris Todd’s hands-on Building Trades class, so essential to meeting the needs of all of our students. Ironically, this program was eliminated just after the corporation built a big building for the trades program. Bring state money back to our school corporation by keeping our students in our county with this program.
Over the years, I have seen a proliferation of people at the top. None of these jobs directly affects our children’s education like the classroom teacher and the paraprofessionals who work with them everyday.
Let’s clean house and cut the fat where it is really needed. My grandmother always said “waste not, want not.” Make some comparisons to 30 years ago and all the administrative and white house jobs that have been created. Cut those positions.
Education is about the classroom.
From a concerned grandparent, past parent of Brown County students and retired teacher of 30 years from Brown County school corporation,
Patricia Bartels, Brown County
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