New York Times: Helping Teachers Help Themselves
By MICHAEL WINERIP
Published: June 5, 2011
...Five years ago, the district [MCPS] created a budget committee, half of whose members belonged to unions. Last year, when Larry Bowers, the district’s [MCPS'] finance director, said the schools could not afford a scheduled 5.3 percent raise, the teachers’ union agreed. “Saved us $89 million,” Mr. Bowers said.
Mr. Prouty, the union president, said he knew Mr. Bowers was telling the truth. “We formulate the budget; we know where the money is, which makes us much more trusting,” said Mr. Prouty, whose members also agreed to forgo a raise next year.
What the hell do we elect a school board to do?
ReplyDeleteBased upon what Prouty and Bowers are saying the Board of Education must be meaningless in the budget process.
But that is the Boards own fault. They have allowed themselves to become just cheerleaders in this critically important process.
Bob Astrove