Updated: [60] Electric Guitars for Students or Travel for Board of Ed. Members

On another posting on this blog you can read about a fundraiser that, according to the comments, is attempting to raise funds for items like electric guitars.  It's not clear if this fundraising is for MCPS or for an outside program, but the comments allude to a deficit in the MCPS music curriculum and a need for musical instruments.


Meanwhile, today at least two three four Montgomery County Board of Education members and the Superintendent are in Boston, Massachusetts at a 3 day convention.  


We don't know how many Board of Education members attended the conference in total.  [Update:  Laura Berthiaume, Shirley Brandman and Chris Barclay are at Boston Convention. That's the equivalent of buying 36 Electric Guitars for students.] 
[Update: Superintendent Starr is also at the Boston Convention.  That's 12 more Electric Guitars!] 
[Update:  Event the Student Member of the Board of Education is in Boston! 12 more Electric Guitars.

But for the two four  five that did attend, the cost of travel, limo to airport, hotel, food and conference fees would buy about 25 50 60 electric guitars for public school students.  

It's a choice. 


And the people that sit at the secret MCPS Operating Budget table have chosen conferences over classrooms. 


That includes the MCEA - the teachers' union - because they are equal partners in the preparation of the MCPS Operating Budget. 


Teachers, why do you chose conferences over classrooms? 

From MCPS Bulletin:"The proposed FY 2011 budget was developed in full partnership with our three employee associations—MCAAP/MCBOA, MCEA and SEIU Local 500—and with the Montgomery County Council of PTAs (MCCPTA), who all share the goal of providing a world-class education to all MCPS students." 
“MCEA’s involvement in the budget process is key—it allows the educators of MCPS a direct means of influencing the formulation of the budget,” says Doug Prouty, president of MCEA. “This helps to ensure that resources are directed where they will be most beneficial for students, teachers, and those who support their work.”