After New Jersey voters rejected a majority of school budgets last week, are New York tax payers going to follow suit? At the April 21st budget hearing, Superintendent of Rye Neck School District Dr. Peter Mustich nervously addressed this news and was quick to point out that public schools cannot be blamed for the ills of the economy.
Mustich, who described Rye Neck as "Vermont twenty miles outside of New York City," said the District needed to "make sure that people are getting value for their dollars." He stressed that the Board of Education worked hard to maintain quality programs and keep class sizes favorable while being fiscally responsible to the community. Quality programs produce quality citizens, he added.
The proposed budget for 2010/11, which was adopted unanimously at the meeting, has an increase of 1.08 percent. According to the district, the lowest one in the schools' history. But is that enough for tax payers?
In New Jersey, Governor Christopher Christie urged the New Jersey Education Association, the teachers' union, to renegotiate contracts and freeze wages. When the union balked, he then appealed to the tax weary voters to reject their schools' budgets. And reject they did. According to the New York Times, 316 out of 541 budgets on the ballot were rejected.
It's unreasonable to expect cuts in school budgets to relieve state budget deficits, but while so many corporations across the country are freezing wages and cutting salaries, some residents are wondering why school administrators and teachers are still able to negotiate guaranteed pay raises. In this recession, school budgets are no longer being overlooked just because test scores are high.
With state aid to public education dwindling, what responsibility do school districts have to their communities?
According to data submitted to the New York State Department of Education by the school districts, Rye Neck administrative pay is comparable to, albeit slightly higher than similar school districts on the Sound Shore, although enrollment is one of the lowest at 1500 students.The District's rationale for this rate of compensation is that it spends less money on administrators overall because more work is being accomplished with less staff, an example being the high school principal doubling for the assistant superintendent for curriculum. Some parents, on the other hand, question the validity of that argument since those functions seem to be accomplished during a regular work day.
The question is, since Westchester County residents pay some of the highest property taxes in the country, will they continue to pass school budgets that contain automatic raises for all its employees? From the 2008/9 to 2009/10 school years, some administrators in Rye Neck received raises of approximately five percent.
Even Assemblyman George Latimer, who represents the Sound Shore communities, gave himself a three percent pay cut and eliminated two staff positions in response to these tough economic times and taxpayer outrage over governmental spending. As quoted in the Larchmont Gazette, Latimer said "Families are sitting at the kitchen table, struggling with their bills. I live with that reality personally, too. But elected officials need to prove they 'get it.' Every one of us in office has to show we're willing to make sacrifices, too...We will have to work harder and smarter – just like everybody else during this tough economy."
"I will not vote yes for a budget until administrative salaries are addressed in a public forum since, as taxpayers, we are paying those salaries," said a Rye Neck parent who did not want to be named. "Given the state of our economy, it's disturbing that our administrators continue to be untouched while other areas of our school district are facing cutbacks."
The feeling of another anonymous parent is that the District continues to cut elementary school programs in a "secretive" way and with no explanation. "I think there should be a discussion about how they're getting raises when the amount of programs in the [elementary] schools are being cut," she said. Asked why she doesn't openly complain or voice her opinion, she admitted to feeling "very fatalistic" about it. While a lot of parents complain to each other, she explained, nobody wants to put the effort into mobilizing everyone for every issue that comes up. She feels that the administration does not listen anyway.
In these changing times, schools and parents have to work together. Residents have to speak up and be heard before they get to the voting booth and administrators have to understand what market the state is in when considering the 'market value' of its staff positions. It is clear that for now, state aid is a thing of the past, so together, tax payers and schools need to take lessons in thinking outside the box.
The last budget hearing will take place on May 5th at 7:30 p.m. at the Rye Neck MS/HS. The budget vote is Tuesday, May 18th. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.
LMP
8:52 am on Tuesday, April 27, 2010
It is unfortunate that there are not more like Assemblyman Latimer who understand and do something about the issue. It is unfortunate that too many of the supposedly well-schooled and well-educated in the Sound Shore communities sit on their collective hands hoping and expecting that they will not experience what NJ and others are now facing.
The warning signs are clear and if we ignore them we will have only ourselves to blame for the outcomes. We can try to run later but perhaps they'll be no place to hide.
Whether Dr. Peter Mustich is correct that public schools cannot be blamed for the ills of the economy is open to question. They did were responsible for educating much of the population. But that's water under the bridge.
The schools, not being a significant part of the solution, not sharing the pain provided by the economy we're in and not delivering the services needed amidst the economic constraints, is a sure sign of their failure.
Public schools were designed to provide for the education of the people of the communities. No more, no less. Expect it, demand it, and replace those that fail.
GC
10:03 am on Wednesday, April 28, 2010
I must say that when ever I hear parents complaining to each other about school issues I always think to myself "I do not remember seeing you at the last Board Of Ed meeting". These meetings are where a parent or parents can go to air their opinions and to ask questions. These meeting are not well attended by residence, for that matter I see the same people their each and every time. I urge any parent who has a question to attend the meeting and ask the question. I agree with the above comment on expect it, demand it - but by standing in a small circle of parents instead of where it can make a difference - this will never get accomplished.