Is the economy and school funding issues impacting your program?

[AJ]

I was wondering who all is having their wrestling program impacted by the current economy and school funding issues.

 

In Muncie, our school board just voted in a cost cutting move to cut many assistant coaches. 

 

I was called into my AD's office and was asked to look ay my schedule and decide which meets I would like to cancel because our school board also voted to cut transportation costs in an efort to save money.  We can however raise money and use "wrestling funds" to offset the cost.

[MattM]

I'd say its state wide.  This past year we were very limited on travel for Varsity and JV.  Most cases we could only take a mini-bus and who could fit on it.  Next year will be the same with some payscale cuts as well.

[Boot]

I heard about Norwell on the news the other day, they're in bad shape. They're a 4 star school, one of the best in the state academically, and yet lost $700k from the state. They're looking at going to a pay to play system, which I feel would really hurt sports. Here's what I found online:

http://www.nwcs.k12.in.us/PDFs/BudgetreductionconsiderationsNWCS.pdf

 

If this is happening to very strong schools, what else is happening behind closed doors around the state? When will the Mitch and Tony show just come out and admit (for the second time for Mitch) that they want to disband public education? I just don't know if the general public has no idea what's going on or if they don't care, in either case it's troublesome. The only way to get more businesses to come in and help the economy in the state is to have a better educated workforce, that's a major problem for the state. You don't make education stronger by slashing it to the bone and bleeding it to death.

[Y2CJ41]

Education is the last place the state should be cutting funding to.  Cut funding for everything else first before you get to education. 

[Smooth34]

Education is the last place the state should be cutting funding to.  Cut funding for everything else first before you get to education. 

 

The Hamilton Southeastern school district is in the same boat.  One of the best school districts in the state, gaining 500+ students a year, yet they are cutting teachers. 

 

Sounds like a great idea.

[matts]

I posted this elsewhere:

 

This is just the tip of the iceberg.  Pay attention to what almost happened in Florida as far right neo cons (please note I didn't say Republicans or conservatives) begin the process of taking apart public education in favor of privatization (see charter schools) and profitable standardized testing (masked as accountability).

 

The writing is clearly on the wall. 

[Regionrat1]

I have a idea !! Cut the amount of politician's in 1/2. Why do we need two senators, multiple congressmen, school board members ect. Just think about the money that would be saved. In today's age where the private sectors has had to become more efficient why can't  the government. Whack the salaries of school administrators with there sweetheart deals. Don't get rid of teachers who are actually producing a product !!!

[TripleB]

Madison cut many asst's. and all freshmen coaches. There might not be freshmen athletics next year at Madison at all.

[MattM]

Unfortunately I think most voters are not effected or are not as concerned as they should be about the current school funding issues.  It the idea of screwing the future over since none one is concerned about it just tosave the present to make voters happy.  Because of this I think the state government will be able to continue cutting education items up without a huge backlash.  Leading to local school boards stop the bleeding a fast way instead of the best way.  

 

Until the public makes it a major issue education will continue to be something we can throw to the wayside .  It just not something enough voters choose to make a priority at this point to the point many don't want to see their money get paid more into it.  If enough did the concerns over school cuts would have been an issue way before the decisions were made to remove teachers and cut programs.

[TheGenerealsDad]

It's funny the far right is getting blamed for this.  I live in Michigan which is ruled by democrats from Detroit and Governor Jennifer Granholm and they are cutting education as well.  It's called a recession.  Government is going to cut education before they cut their bureaucracies or limit the size of government.  Open your eyes a little, it isn't just happening in Indiana.

[Y2CJ41]

Detroit is cutting education because families are leaving the city.  They have every right to be cutting education at schools that do not have as many students anymore.

[TheGenerealsDad]

Ok.  What about the rest of Michigan?  I will go a step further though and really let you know how I feel about it.  How many school systems haven't blown a large amount of money on unnecessary expenditures in the last 5 years.  I have seen more than a few schools building new gyms and performing arts centers that were not necessary and not education related.  One Indiana school I know of just built a new high school and added a second swimming pool and are now cutting freshman and junior high sports.  Now that the money is short, those bad decisions are coming back to bite some schools in the back side.  I hate to see educators lose jobs or kids get less of an education, but sometimes bad decisions by administrators lead to bad times for teachers and students also.  I am sure all schools are suffering whether in republican or democratic states, but I really don't believe school administrators are used to making cost based decisions like a business does everyday either.  If it were up to me, sports would be the first thing to see cuts as they are a part of the education experience but not the real job of a school.  Maybe they are doing the best they can in tough times, and it might just be time to pay the fiddler.

[CoachW33]

GenerealsDad, I understand why you would think sports should be the first thing cut, however, for a large number of students it's these sports that keep them in school. Without sports many students, whether we like it or not, will drop out because schools just isn't for them, or so they say. Cutting education is the worst thing that can happen. Just think, less teachers equal larger class sizes. I don't know if your a teacher or not but  going from 25 students to 35 in a class is a large jump and much harder to teach. If students do not get an education they come out of school dumber and less prepared to contribute to our economy. This results in more crime and more government support because if I can get a good paying job im either going to find a way to get more money (selling drugs, stealing, robbery, etc) or they think why work a job where im only making minimum wage so Ill just sit on my bum and collect welfare. Cutting education is the worst idea, if you can tell me a situation that results in a worse scenario I'd like to hear it.

[TheGenerealsDad]

I guess it depends on how you define education.  I would call it cutting teachers or books.  I am assuming you are lumping in sports with that.  Either way, I take the view that sometimes when times are tough sacrifices have to be made, at least outside of government.  I believe it unfair to use tax money for unnecessary "education" and then look for sympathy when you go broke.  Its not the teacher's fault or the students fault, but it is a reality of life.  It is unfortunate, but in many cases a situation that could have been better handled.  I expect organizations who receive taxes to be good stewards of that money.  If they have been then they deserve sympathy, if not go talk to someone else.  I just hear too many examples of wasted money.  If its not unnecessary buildings, it is football coaches who get paid to change light bulbs or study hall teachers who are kept because it is too hard to let them go. 

[tskin]

Not like I will be here to deal with but at Scottsburg we were told that we would have to cut Athletics by 30%.  Before I got RIF'ed I was going to have a tough job ahead of me with dealing with my schedule in Cross Country, Wrestling and Track.  I wouldn't be suprised if wrestling overall is cut once I am gone.

[KarlHungus]

Ok.  What about the rest of Michigan?  I will go a step further though and really let you know how I feel about it.  How many school systems haven't blown a large amount of money on unnecessary expenditures in the last 5 years.  I have seen more than a few schools building new gyms and performing arts centers that were not necessary and not education related.  One Indiana school I know of just built a new high school and added a second swimming pool and are now cutting freshman and junior high sports.  Now that the money is short, those bad decisions are coming back to bite some schools in the back side.  I hate to see educators lose jobs or kids get less of an education, but sometimes bad decisions by administrators lead to bad times for teachers and students also.  I am sure all schools are suffering whether in republican or democratic states, but I really don't believe school administrators are used to making cost based decisions like a business does everyday either.  If it were up to me, sports would be the first thing to see cuts as they are a part of the education experience but not the real job of a school.  Maybe they are doing the best they can in tough times, and it might just be time to pay the fiddler.

 

The school built the new facilities before the school funding system was restructured.    Hard to blame the school when the rules were changed.

[AJ]

New buildings and and any construction money  comes from a different fund than where teacher salary and benefits come from.  Indiana would not allow schools to transer funds so many schools had an excess in the building fund but were short in the General fund, which is where teacher salary money is located.  Indiana is trying to change the out of date fund rules so that schools can move funds to where they need them.

[Regionrat1]

Does anyone realize how many people work for one congressman. I heard Visclosky has over 100 people. And Im sure there salaries aren't chump change. There is so much fat in goverment. I really hate to see all da young teacher's loose there jobs.  Hek we can't afford to fix Cline AVE up here in Lake county. When I go to the BMV office I swear everyone of them are related to some  crooked politician.  Besides dat day think they are doing you favor.

[WaltHarris]

Mishawaka school superintendent placed on leave

Mishawaka, IN

Superintendent Steven Mills has admitted he?s been secretly married to Joanne Shaw, who runs the reading recovery and literacy program for Mishawaka Schools.

 

Mishawaka School Superintendent Steven Mills Wednesday was relieved of his duties, at least on a temporary basis.

 

Mills was placed on paid administrative leave while the school board looks into his marital misrepresentations.

 

Mills recently disclosed to the board that he secretly married the district?s Director of Literacy, Joann Shaw, five years ago.

 

The school board has scheduled a meeting this Friday at 6 p.m.

 

The meeting will be closed to the public, although Mr. Mills will attend, according to Mishawaka School Board President Larry Stillson.

 

Stillson Wednesday described Mill?s problem as a legal one, saying ?There were waivers and disclosure forms that had to be signed, that weren?t.?

 

Stillson also told NewsCenter 16 that, ?As hard has it may be to believe, it?s an absolute truth, no board member, and to my knowledge, no one who work with Steve day to day, knew that this marriage existed.?

 

Both the board and the community continue to struggle to cope with the news.

 

?Oh I think he should go, definitely, there?s been five years of just lies, and people hiding things up that shouldn?t be hidden and it?s embarrassing,? said Susan Moore, the parent of two students in the Mishawaka Schools.

 

Moore worked on a petition drive in 2007 to try and replace Mishawaka?s appointed school board, with an elected board. The superintendent?s situation reminds her of the reason she got involved in the first place. ?Yes, a lot of nepotism,? Moore said.

 

For teachers, the revelation couldn?t have come at a worse time. ?As you know, 30 teachers were laid off and their futures are uncertain, their careers are derailed, and then to have this happen at the administrative level is a distraction that none of us needed,? said Bruce Shannon, President of the Mishawaka Education Association.

 

It?s not known how long the superintendent?s leave of absence will last. The board did see fit to appoint an interim superintendent. That?s Dan Towner, the current Director of Curriculum.

 

N.B- The wife kept getting more funding for her program and herself, and had a new wing built for her program, all while 30 other teachers were let go.

[TheGenerealsDad]

"New buildings and and any construction money  comes from a different fund than where teacher salary and benefits come from.  Indiana would not allow schools to transer funds so many schools had an excess in the building fund but were short in the General fund, which is where teacher salary money is located.  Indiana is trying to change the out of date fund rules so that schools can move funds to where they need them."

 

That makes a lot of sense and I hope it is changed.  I think to the general public who see their tax money being spent on unnecessary building projects it leaves a bad impression and little understanding why there isn't money to keep teachers and coaches.  There are clearly cases where schools need to build,  but from what I have seen most building projects are a way for superintendents to pad their resume without the district's best intentions in mind.  It makes it appear as if money is being mishandled and not a good investment in the overall system in my opinion.  I would gladly swap money spent on that stuff to be used to keep teachers.

[Infolady]

"New buildings and and any construction money  comes from a different fund than where teacher salary and benefits come from.  Indiana would not allow schools to transer funds so many schools had an excess in the building fund but were short in the General fund, which is where teacher salary money is located.  Indiana is trying to change the out of date fund rules so that schools can move funds to where they need them."

 

That makes a lot of sense and I hope it is changed.  I think to the general public who see their tax money being spent on unnecessary building projects it leaves a bad impression and little understanding why there isn't money to keep teachers and coaches.  There are clearly cases where schools need to build,  but from what I have seen most building projects are a way for superintendents to pad their resume without the district's best intentions in mind.  It makes it appear as if money is being mishandled and not a good investment in the overall system in my opinion.  I would gladly swap money spent on that stuff to be used to keep teachers.

 

I agree!  For many tax payers, it is not about teacher's salaries or cutting programs for the students, it is about unnecessary spending on the part of the administration. I know, in Franklin Township, many tax payers were outraged when they built a new Football facility that rivals most colleges. Now the administration is threatening to initiate pay to play and charging for transportation and it is all the tax payers fault. I would vote to increase taxes if the money were to be earmarked for teachers salaries and sports programs for the students and I am sorry that they are reaping the consequences of poor planning and overspending on the part of the administration.  However, in defense of the tax payers, they have to prioritize and live within in a budget and feel the school corporations should do the same. 

[Boot]

Schools definitely do have very tight budgets and have to live within them. The way the state divides the funds and forces them in to certain budgets causes a lot of frustration for everyone. If the only money they have is in building funds why let it sit unused? Build more efficient buildings, that will save on utilities and free up some money for programs. What we need is people at the state who care about education and getting funding where it's needed, the Mitch and Tony show have shown over and over that they don't care and Mitch has stated in the past that he wants to privatize education, forcing public education to fail like they are is the first step.

[TripleB]

A lot of the building projects also started to increase when the state started sucking money from schools. They (schools) started adding and planning for upgrades before the state came in and seized the cash. To me, this was really smart on the schools. I think regardless of the building projects or not, schools would be in the mess b/c MyManMitch would have taken the money regardless.

 

 

[rebels4life]

It all came to a head with the property tax cap. In which I was glad to see happen in some regards, but not to this point. People who are retired and have there house paid for should not lose there home because they cannot pay the property tax. They are on a fix income and in my opinion have paid there fair share.  We all know education, public safety takes 60% property tax.  This situation is going get worst,  we have not seen the worst.  Two programs that I think should never be touched public safety, education.  I have no problen paying for education, public safety. My kids don't even go to public schools, but if I  was asked to pay more on property taxes for education, public safety I think most of us would. Goverment has pissed away so much money for years that the only ones that are going to suffer is our kids, grand kids. Who ever thought it would be a great idea to cut from education. Lay off teachers, cut drama clubs, sport events. We wll see the effects for years to come, uneducated children will lead to higher crime rate.

[DemOGuy]

It all came to a head with the property tax cap. In which I was glad to see happen in some regards, but not to this point. People who are retired and have there house paid for should not lose there home because they cannot pay the property tax. They are on a fix income and in my opinion have paid there fair share.  We all know education, public safety takes 60% property tax.  This situation is going get worst,  we have not seen the worst.  Two programs that I think should never be touched public safety, education.  I have no problen paying for education, public safety. My kids don't even go to public schools, but if I  was asked to pay more on property taxes for education, public safety I think most of us would. Goverment has pissed away so much money for years that the only ones that are going to suffer is our kids, grand kids. Who ever thought it would be a great idea to cut from education. Lay off teachers, cut drama clubs, sport events. We wll see the effects for years to come, uneducated children will lead to higher crime rate.

Well said and really on the inner city level. IPS schools have been getting cut backs from everywhere It is no wonder Schools like Manual loosing there football program, in 5 years we will see a horrible impact in the inner city schools, with Art, Athletics, Music and Teachers loosing jobs. Dr. Eugean White has done a horrible job on that aspect 4 years ago cutting wrestling from a 2x city champ team attics and cutting football from there as well. We continue to let the fall of the economy effect the kids and it needs to stop.