Last month I laid out cuts Madison Central could make to meet the budget shortfall Governor Dennis Daugaard and our Senator Russell Olson will create if they pass their desired 10% cut to state K-12 aid. Firing eighteen teachers would just about cover the $552,000 Senator Olson thinks Madison doesn't need.
If you think I'm exaggerating, take a look at the deficit elimination plan Brookings superintendent Roger DeGroot proposed at his board's Monday meeting. His school district faces a shortfall of $1.7 million. How might DeGroot patch that hole?
- Cut instruction programs and teachers (up to 15 jobs), $675,000
- Cut administrative services, $163,800
- Cut buildings and grounds maintenance (three jobs), $112,500
- Eliminate co-curricular items, which includes everything from football, to debate, to marching band, $612,000.
The thought of ending the august Brookings debate program gives me chills. The prospect of ending every co-curricular program---no football, no gymnastics, no track, no band---and still having to fire fifteen teachers ought to put the fear of God in everybody.
Governor Daugaard, Senator Olson, look at what Brookings, an outstanding school district, is talking about having to do. Look at the pain the loss of jobs and opportunities for students would cause. Tell me how that pain, how that degradation in the economy and quality of life in Brookings is more tolerable than the pain of paying an extra-penny sales tax each summer, or denying corporations refunds on big construction projects.
If only SD teachers could legally strike, they could take a page out of Wisconsin teachers' playbook. Hey, it's a holiday weekend. How about a camp out in Pierre?
All it would take is one big district eliminating co-curricular activities to set the course for the rest of the state's schools to follow. That would be sad. It could easily happen in this game of budget chicken.
I believe the Wisconsin teachers are not striking.
It seems that lots of them have come down with a sudden illness simultaneously. I would like to see that happen in Brookings. (I think)
I don't think that the governor or Mr. Olson have any idea of the fallout that might come about if the whole 10% cut is put into law. Your headline is misleading. Brookings activities may well be cut in the end no matter what they believe. It will be a local decision based on money or the lack thereof.