Comments on: Small schools should consolidate, state commission says

By: Aidan

Aidan — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:59:27 +0000

The superintendent’s remarks are a bit shocking … I would expect a bit more depth and less coarseness. Then again, I’ve been conditioned to beshocked by the attitude of school officials.
The merit of this proposal is obvious. In fact, I would think that 1,500 students would actually be a better merger point. The duplication of servics is financially ignorant. And the “turf protection” philosophy is no longer practical or even socially healthy.
Why is it a sin to ask for financial sensibility? You can cultivate a school cultural even among many schools in a district … there are plenty of examples of that. It all depends on what philosophy is embraced.
What exists now cannot continue … or schools will break the back of the community. I fear that the intransience suggested by Smith will invite a disproportionate backlash down the line. There is a breaking point when it comes to community largesse … and it is fasy approaching for school districts. To ignore the swelling sentiment is to court real pain down the road. Better to be proactive now than to be forced into some very uninviting choices later.

By: transform

transform — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:36:47 +0000

If most of the kids in Garrison,go to Haldane school district for high school,am I correct in assuming that Garrison parents pay not only for Garrison school taxes but also Haldane? I don’t know,I think that would save some money. Its also a matter of pooling resources. I agree villages should be consolidated,become part of the towns that they are already paying taxes to already. Its ridiculous to have such extra layers of government like a village.

By: Gregg Scott

Gregg Scott — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:10:31 +0000

Why not take this opportunity to experiment with school choice. Break those schools of from all public funding and have them function on their own and charge to go to the school. Provide merit based pay to teachers and enable the instructors to take over most of the administration of the school. What makes America special is our adventuresome spirit in the face of disaster – I’m betting that those parents, students, teachers and other staff could do far worse than band together and devise a plan to support their school via volunteer spirit and a solid business philosophy that prioritizes their sons and daughters education.

By: the consultant

the consultant — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:12:39 +0000

it is absolutely amazing…this is the problem ..people
simply don;’t want to recognize that the redundancy
in the school districts is costing them a fortune not
to mention police, courts and the rest…frankly
;instead of taking on county government there should
be a study commission to demontrate the exact cost of
what each service is in each community…the county
only accounts for 18% of the property tax bill..all
the rest is other services…so paul feiner and
joan granowksi are demogoging the issue of cutting
county government it will save very little..now
the form of county government could be drastically
altered to get rid of the elected apparthicks and
hire a professional manager that might save say
20% of the 18% or about 3.5%....but to really save
money an axe has to be take to the remaining 80%
and that means a mass consolidation of villages

By: John

John — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:47:11 +0000

They want to bit-h about costs but they do not want to do anything about it if it affects them, typical and amazing!