A rally has been planned for Monday at 6 p.m. at Enka High School in response to the possible loss of 80 Buncombe teachers.
The rally comes on the heels of news that, due to an education budget currently working its way through the N.C. House of Representatives, class sizes statewide may be increased by two students each. That would mean that 6,000 teachers statewide — 80 in Buncombe County — would not have their contracts renewed. Other school staff, from counselors to, teachers assistants to bus drivers would also be affected.
This is an excerpt of an e-mail currently circulating among the area’s teachers and principals:
“I am emailing you about a parent-teacher rally held on June 8 at 6:00 at Enka High. This rally is for people concerned about the budget impact on public schools. We are inviting our elected officials. Parents and educators will speak out against increasing class size and cutting teachers, counselors and social workers. We are faxing you a copy of the flier for parents. I urge you to follow the suggestions listed on the NCASA web page to join with educators and parents across state to get involved. Tentative location is Enka High. More info to come. Please involve your PTA PTO and Advisory Council as well as community members. Please send this on to all principals in your district who are not listed above.”
You can see the letter mailed to approximately 80 teachers by Buncombe County Schools informing them of the cuts here.
— Brian Postelle, staff writer
Maybe they should remember this when they vote for Govenor in a couple of years seeing she raided the education fund.
I would like to hear what the Democrat candidates for Asheville City Council have to say about this.
How about it Go Gordon and others?
Mysterylogger, VERY good point. And, if the “Education” lottery funds had been used ONLY for education, instead of pork and pet democrat projects, we would not be on the brink of laying off teachers. Good God, education is at the highest priority of government! NOT “Teapot Museums” and other pork projects. And remember, the democrat Speaker of the House Black is in PRISON for political graft. Next election, let’s get a new bunch in office.
Poor Chad.
Well put, Mysterylogger. I certainly will.
The question I have is this.
Why aren’t SPORTS programs being cut instead of teaching positions – or requiring those who participate to purchase their own uniforms, equipment (or pay a fee) to participate.
This would be an excellent time to investigate the Lottery fund. How much is there now and where has it been in the past? How much non-education money was spent or ‘borrowed’?
If we can save at least $5M a year by having just two more kids per class, why haven’t we already done this??
Why don’t the parents step up and pay a little more money so their precious children don’t have to sit with 2 other students? This is a long time coming.
To change the LOTTERY funding: which currently is only for capital expenditures (buildings, equipment, books, etc) would take an act of the NC Legislature …. so write your Rep and let them know how you feel.
The real investigation should be into how Bev Perdue is/was able to rob the lotto education funds in an attempt to balance the general fund … and then not be required to pay those monies back without any interest (or maybe no pay back at all)?
She made many promises during her campaign about education in this State and how she would make no cuts to education but boy how her story has changed.
Good idea, LOKEL.
Having just two additional students isn’t that big of a deal to me, but I don’t understand why they would need to lay off teachers because of that.
Two more children per room isn’t that bad compared to all of the teachers losing their jobs, not to mention staff, faculty, counselors, etc. Not that the school counselors in my high school do the job they’re supposed to do anyway, but they’re still possibly losing their “jobs”.
Does anybody know if this affects secondary education schools such as AB Tech? I’m going to AB Tech this Fall, so I would like to know if this possible budget will affect AB Tech as well.
They should lay off 80 bad teachers if they really have to lay any off, and open up those positions to new teachers or jobless teachers. They are laying off the WRONG teachers!!! The good ones!!!
Why don’t the parents step up and pay a little more money so their precious children don’t have to sit with 2 other students?
Great idea! Like a “tax” or something like that? Unheard of and brilliant!
And it should only be paid by parents, because we all know that only parents and no other facet of society benefits from education.
We just use the schools as daycare.
When government shortfalls occur, politicians and school boards always manipulate public opinion by talking about cutting teachers and raising class size.
Only a few states and local boards have had the gumption to cut (gasp!) athletics and recreation. Even food service, transportation, technology, building and grounds maintenance, and other non-instructional programs could be cut back or put on hold for a while. The public has been duped into thinking all these things are essential. Well, they are not.
One thing that has always frosted me about the School Boards that run the schools in the cities I’ve lived in is the ‘Tashma Hall’ of an office building they work out of. Totally unnecessary and a rude diversion of education funds. The bureaucracy is looking out after itself instead of the mission they are tasked with.
How much could be done ‘for the children’ with that money?
Taj Mahal