School Funding

Misappropriation of funds. It's not a new concept. Especially within a school district. It happens and, when it does, the responsible parties take it out on the kids. There is nothing anyone can say that will change my mind about this. I've seen it happen again and again from the viewpoint of a parent of students to the viewpoint of teaching within the district. It's old and they have got to be stopped.

I can't speak for all the schools in our county but, at our school, positions were in danger due to the misspending of county funds. People were losing their jobs and the students were going to be affected in a way that is not conducive to learning. And yet, our stuperintendent (intentional spelling) can find the funds to purchase the tote in the picture for all certified teachers in the county. Our teachers were most unhappy about this. And no one is using their tote. I think most of them were thrown out.   

This is not the first time our school has had to seek funding outside the district for teaching positions. Which is ridiculous. It seems the first place the cuts get made are always, and I mean ALWAYS, at the level that directly affects the students in a negative way. Intervention, class size, special area classes...

I assure you that there are positions at the Taj Mahal CCSD district office that could be taken away without affecting the students one bit. There are numerous positions that were created in times of budget fatness but those times are gone. And those jobs need to be revisited. And done away with. 

Please don't start talking to me about people losing their jobs. That's the same thing that's happening in the schools. People are losing their jobs and the students are being hurt by it. The unnecessary jobs downtown? People would lose their jobs but the students would not be affected at all.

When these are my choices, I'm going with the choice that does not hurt the students. 

At our school, PTA has always stepped up to the plate. One example is the year my youngest daughter was entering 4th grade. Our classes were going to be HUGE, due to budget cuts, and having thirty, fourth graders in a small classroom is not going to make learning anything other than difficult. PTA stepped up and paid for a fourth-grade teacher. Class sizes went back to manageable and all was well. One thing our PTA has always had is a healthy bottom line at the end of the school year just in case of an emergency. You see, we know how the district works. And we were prepared.
   
The upcoming school year would have been the first time in the school's history that the PTA had dropped the ball should they not have raised the funds. When things got scary, the pres decided to pick on someone and try to get out of paying for that position. Not cool. She lost all her credibility. Luckily, the money was raised, the district 'found' a little money, and there will be a new PTA pres next year. No, I'm not on PTA and it's been many years since the last of my four daughters was in elementary school. But I have been there- as everything from a member to the president and I know that we have always had a buffer to begin the school year. Funny how things change.  

It's great that our PTA steps up to the plate. But what about schools that don't have such generous parents and a supportive community? Sometimes, I have to wonder, does the district feel free to throw a wrench in the middle of student learning because they expect PTAs to step up? And what happens to the Title 1 schools? Not cool CCSD.  

And I'm not even going to start on how badly the people in some positions were treated by the district. But it was, at the very least, unprofessional. Every time the district messes up financially, the schools pay the price. The fat cats downtown still have their jobs as do their helper monkeys. But I am thrilled that I made the decision in November to stay home and take care of my grandlove instead of going back to school. I can't stand the way people are treated when money becomes an issue. The backstabbing alone is enough to sicken you. 

Is it the same in your district?  

School Board Stupidity

The infinite stupidity of the school board in our county has struck once again. Is there no end? 

Let me start with the difference between certified teachers and classified employees. Certified teachers at our school have undergraduate degrees and a few have master's degrees as well. The story is the same for our classified employees- all have undergraduate degrees, some of us have master's degrees, and one is working on her Ph.D.--do you see the difference? Thaaat's right. The difference between certified teachers and classified employees is the certification. Of course, there is also the difference in pay (seriously, master's degree or not, a classified employee is lucky to bring home $1500/month) and responsibility but, in terms of education, that's it.  

You'd never know it, however, when you witness the difference in the way the two types of employees are treated.

If you are a classified employee and you do not feel like a mere peon, give it time. You will. No matter how much you do or how hard you work or how many times you go well beyond that extra mile they will, at some point, put you in your place. This antiquated treatment happens when you get further up the food chain. But not too far. 

What's the latest humiliation to be suffered by the lowly classified employee? They must punch a time clock.

Punch. A. Time. Clock.

Now, I realize that there are jobs in which people have to punch time clocks. But working as a classified employee in our school is not one of them. It is one more way for the powers-that-be to insult the worker bees they view as peons. Classified employees are the only ones who have to punch a clock.

Why? How would I know? Y'all don't think they'd actually tell us why do you? Because that doesn't usually happen. When they have people by the proverbial balls, they don't have to tell why, do they? Perhaps other schools are having trouble with some employees putting in an eight hour day? Perhaps someone on the board is getting kickbacks from the Kronos company? Perhaps someone's cousin's brother's girlfriend's sister works for the company? Maybe they decided to go paperless? Most likely it's a micromanagement issue. Who knows? 

I was a classified employee who holds a master's degree and two undergraduate degrees. I gave at least 110% every school day. I was on committees and offered computer club every Tuesday afternoon (my own idea which I gladly and enthusiastically offered for three years FOR NO PAY.) I added classes to my already filled days just to make sure students had access to coding classes as well as the special area classes they attended. I was in charge of MAP testing which required me to arrive early and leave late most days, run reports for the principal and all teachers (who could easily have done this for themselves.) If there was a technology problem, I was expected to sort it out even though we are told by the district to call the Help Desk in these situations. I won't even get into the extra duties that were asked of me, some of which were above my pay grade. I did not work less than 8 hours/day. I did, however, work more to the tune of nearly 40 hours/school year. And I NEVER asked for overtime pay. I did this for the kiddos and considered it voluntary.

I would not do that now if they made it a requirement. Because, when you force the peons to punch a time clock, you rob them of their joy and motivation.

I am not the only classified employee at our school who does more than his/her fair share. This is not about appreciation. Our AP has always made me feel appreciated. Always. I feel certain she has made others feel the same. That's not the point.

The point is, the Charleston County school board has got to stop humiliating people. Trying to make others feel less than they are is BS, I don't care who you think you are. This is not the way to inspire loyalty, productivity, or honesty in your employees. It is, however, a successful way to destroy those qualities. Who wants to work for someone who insults and humiliates their employees?

Our school is not a school of slackers. We work with 700 elementary students. There is no way we can slack even if we wanted to. If anything, the educators and staff at our school go above and beyond on a daily basis. What we have in return is a successful school filled with students who are eager to learn and educators enthusiastic about teaching. We do not do this for the money. We do it for the love of teaching children and our own love and appreciation of learning.

On the other hand, this latest degrading act by CCSD made it much easier to leave my job. Before the time clock issue arose, leaving was bittersweet. Not that I won't miss the students or enjoy taking care of my granddaughter but the time clock has taken a good bit of the sentimentality of leaving out of the mix.