Found some $$$! Don't Cut Visual Art Center! (or classroom teachers, for that matter)

Can we all agree that preserving actual Classroom Teacher positions in MCPS should be the highest priority? That the classroom teacher is where the actual learning begins, and that their positions should have priority over central office spending that has no direct, immediate contact with teaching actual students?

Here's a list of some contracts approved by the Board of Education recently. Let them know that you value classroom teachers over consultants.

April 26, 2010: Maryland Public Television, $178,574 (online professional development)
April 15, 2010: WT Cox Subscriptions, $304,000 (Magazine Subscription)
Feb, 17, 2010: Arroyo Research Services: $39,975 (Professional Development Evaluations)
January 12, 2010: Gompers, $125,000 (support for security activities)

Magazine subscriptions? Public Television? Consultants? When did the Board of Education prioritize these things over classroom teachers? The Board knew back in January that there isn't money to spare in this year's budget. Why did they keep voting to spend money on items that don't relate directly to classroom instruction?

Oh sure: the $10 million dollar MCPS Ministry of Truth (Minitrue) will come out with some statement as to why the above expenditures directly contribute to MCPS's success in closing the achievement gap. But do you believe it? Don't you think that money should be spent on teachers in a classroom instead?