School Board member David Testerman said "shame" on the taxpayers for opposing a tax increase and therefore not giving our kids what they need." Please explain to us how an "across the board pay raise" which includes highly paid administrators, principals, and assistant principals does anything for the children (over 275 making over $100,000 a year). Good teachers, yes, they truly mold our children.
Besides how do they tap the "rainy day/unassigned fund" and not have to do it again next year to continue these raises? The rainy day fund was never intended to support continuing expenditures like salaries, but this $39 million overly-funded account certainly could buy much needed computers, books, fix a leaking roof, paint a school, build a ball field, or any number of one time needs.
My guess is that this slight of hand move was Superintendent Rick Smith's way of temporarily circumventing the will of the people to get his way and reward his colleagues. I would bet that their strategy is to come back again next year with another attempted bite at the apple. After all they will say, would you have us cut their pay this year after giving them a pay raise last year? We can't keep raiding the rainy day fund. An easier sell then for a tax increase or more money from the county commissioners.
If I had my way, no one would be elected to the School Board that comes from the teaching field. Sort of like letting me vote on my wife's pay raise. I know some School Board members are looking out for our kids, just look at those that voted no to the new revised budget. It seems that school administration always reaches a place where they feel entitled to ask for and spend money like it comes from a faucet, and not the pockets of our hard working taxpayers. All this without a feeling of responsibility to anything or anyone but the system.
Enough is enough. We pay all of you to educate our children. So far, judging by the low test scores of some of our schools and the low math and reading skills of too many of our students, I would say you still have a lot of work to do before asking for more money ($100 million in the past 10 years, and $5 million more last year). Close those under enrolled schools and consolidate them. Open vocational training schools instead for the vast majority of our graduates that will never go on to college. We need trained blue collar workers for the overwhelming number of jobs that go unfilled in industry due to the lack of skilled workers.
No, "shame on you," Mr. Testerman, and all those that didn't truly focus on our kids and the teachers, but once again looked out for your past colleagues and friends. More and more money can never be the only way to insure a better education for our kids.
Bill Reesor
Ooltewah