SA teachers question spending (2/12/05)

As you may know, your South Adams teachers have been without a contract with the school board for three years. In order to put into perspective how the school board spends the taxpayers’ money, we want to share the following facts.

This information was received directly from Connie Bailey, the superintendent of the school corporation, as to the expenses related to the refurbishing of the high school and central office:

From Capital Projects — Strahm Construction, $565,724; miscellaneous equipment for high school, $28,565; fitness equipment for high school, $84,600; boardroom chairs and end table, $2,317. Total: $681,206. (The high school teachers were allowed to put their names in for a lottery for the used office furniture?)

From the General Fund — High school office furniture, $35,537; cafeteria tables, $23,137; library chairs, $16,300; miscellaneous furniture, $9,387. Total: $84,361.

This is what the teachers do not understand. With 1 percent on the salary schedule representing $30,000, why is the school board spending all this money on furniture and offering their teachers only a 1 percent raise? What message does this send to the teachers as to their worth? Furniture and paint do not raise ISTEP and SAT scores, teachers do.

Please talk to your elected school board.

South Adams teachers — Betty Overdorf, Jennifer King, Kristi Brown, Jane Minch, Gene Grogg, Michael Baer, Kathy Pfeifer, Steve Huser, Dale Mertz, Pauline Borders, Debra Hosier, Celinda Herman, Fred Schuman, Rhonda Clott, Melinda Monticue, Doris Knoch, Michael Moser, Jim Horton, Cindy Sprunger, Dean Stahly, Kathleen Tooley, Becky Sorg, Anieta Goodwin, Jeni Lingo, Carolyn Fletcher, Judy Lipina, Kathi Drake, Julie Reef, Katina Stout, Barbara Rohr, Sharon Wheeler, Mary McCord, Sue Inniger, Kathy Turner, Carol Cummins and Sandy Sprunger

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