Tuesday, July 17, 2007

What is a politician's promise worth?

In his "Big Plan" for merging CES and HES, Dennis Whitling included a promise of extra programs and support for lower income students during the year-round calendar's frequent breaks.

I am sure similar promises were made to at-risk students in Wake County. Too bad those promises meant nothing at all when the Wake County school board started making important budgetary "compromises."

According to an article in the Raleigh News & Observer titled "Wake school board finds budget compromise," the district found a way to give pay raises to a variety of non-teaching "support personnel" and provide the county's high schools with paid lacrosse coaches.

And, the best part is that, the only people to really suffer are the at-risk children in year-round schools. What a deal!

"To make up that money, the board agreed to not pay for the 46 year-round schools to have teacher assistants to work with students during the frequent breaks in the calendar."

Given the Orange County Board of Education's previous priority setting troubles, could a similar "compromise" be far behind?

I can easily see such "frills" being cut to pay for an elementary school softball field or a middle school scoreboard.

No comments: