Laying off teachers counterproductive

With budget cuts forcing FWCS to cut staffing, it appears about 50 teaching positions will be cut. With retirements at about 30% of the normal levels that means some number of teachers will be laid off. It's diffcult enough to get and retain competent (not to mention lower paid) young teachers, without adding to their frustration by keeping teachers in order of seniority.

I'm sure there are many more senior teachers who would love to retire but are forced to keep working because of the steep declines in their 401K accounts. Give them an incentive (package) to retire and they'll be gone, avoiding teacher layoffs.

"arrogance and contempt"

Yesterday and today the JG was on Mayor Henry's case about failing to disclose information obtained with the taxpayers' money and proposing a casino referendum without disclosing who was behind the push for a referendum. Personally I agree with their position on this one but where were they when King Richard and a majority of the city council crammed Harrison Square down our throats? Oh, that's right, they were on board with that one. What did they say when Wendy and Steve (Mr. Fiscal Responsibility) Corona spent $450 thousand of our tax dollars to provide political cover for a record property tax increase to get buildings like Aboite? Well, they were the district's cheerleaders.

Selective indignation rings hollow.

Wayne HS project "under budget"

FWCS reported its technology conversion project to be under budget, allowing them to use the "savings" on other stuff. What does that mean? That probably means they used the old rule of thumb of estimating - get the best number you can, then double it and add 15%. Then you can crow about it when you come in "under budget" and you also get a slush fund. If they want to impress us with their accountability, give the extra money back to the taxpayers.

I don't have a problem with the educational concept they're trying out. It's worth a shot and if it works, they can crow about something that has some payback for kids and taxpayers. Just spare us the self congratulatory press releases. Pat yourselves on the back in the board meetings.

Corona buys seat for $27,000+

Taking a page from the Chicago politics "pay to play" book incumbent Steve Corona and the rest of the new board members spent what they though it would take to keep the "Blues" off the board. Corona spent five times what he did last time to continue his long oversight of the system's decline. Those who backed the new members invested heavily in the failing status quo, including the contractors who make their money from FWCS and the taxpayers.

With the exception of Kevin Brown, no-one on this board has a clue to what's going on in the classrooms and what it will take to turn things around. They will believe what they are told by an administration that thinks the path to educational excellence is social promotion and "buildings like Aboite".

The irony that sweetens the grapes is that they spent way more than they needed to. They were all the first names on their respective ballots, which is the main criterion for most voters in a city election. If Diane Sliger had changed her last name to Armstrong, she would now be on the board. And Corona supposedly still owes himself $8500. Let's see, where the hell did I put my checkbook?

Last one is a "loser"

Yesterday's JG (no not my copy, I cancelled my weekday subscription) said Robert Armstrong won a seat on County Council without spending a dime on his campaign. He was on the FWCS board before that. All three new FWCS board members chosen in the last election were the first names on the ballot. Does that mean the primary qualification for local public office depends on the first letter of your last name? That's all I can think of as a reason for Steve Corona being on the school board for 28 years. Nobody knows who the hell they're voting for.

That's the bad news. The good news is that nobody cares who the JG endorses either.