Minutes - 05-31-2001 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Andrea Biddle lives in northern Orange County and has a first grader at New Hope Elementary. She said that the proposed school budget is not fair, in particular to the children of northern Orange County. She said that the allocation of $308,000 would not even allow the school system to cover the mandates. There is now a deficit of $1.34 million. She said that the Commissioners farce a very tough decision on the school board to figure out where to cut. She said that she is trying not to be driven by the wedge between northern and southern Orange County but that the proposal is very generous to southern Orange County. She said that she could not even advocate for Spanish classes because she could not even get the basics for the children. She brought letters from 110 families at New Hope Elementary that support the budget in full. She urged the Commissioners to provide an education budget that is fair to all students. She gave the letters to the Manager. Chair Halkiotis clarified that this is just the proposed budget and the Commissioners are still working on it. Susan Hauck is a parent of two children in the Orange County school system. She said that she has learned that the federal and state governments merely pay for what they consider essential, which is reading, writing, and math. She said that she has learned that it is the local government's responsibility to provide funds far what the state does not consider essential -music, P. E., library, computer science, foreign language, sports, A. G., reading recovery, etc. She said that she wonders haw many so-called non-essentials we could eliminate and still have a school system that people want their children to attend. She said that she wants her children to learn to think critically, to learn how to be creative and expressive, to be tolerant, to have an understanding of people in other cultures, to learn how to lead and how to follow, to learn how to work as a team and to salve problems, to hold interesting conversations, to listen to others, and to take care of their community. She said that the proposed Orange County school budget, which does not even cover mandated items, threatens the so-called non-essentials in Orange County. She also had signed letters from 125 parents and educators from Grady Brown Elementary School. She urged the Commissioners to pass the school budget in full. Libby Hough asked the ones in the audience who were here in support of the northern Orange County schools to stand and be recognized. Over 60 % of the audience stood up. There was applause. She has two children at Grady Brawn Elementary. She questioned the accuracy of DPI's figures such as 14 new students in the Orange County system next year. She asked how could one of the fastest growing areas in the state have a net gain of only 1.4 new students per school. She spoke about an article in the Durham Herald where Superintendent Neil Pedersen said that the Manager's proposal will fund around 60% of Chapel Hill-Carrboro school system's request, allowing them to, "Basically fund the mandates, inflationary casts, and items related to growth. It would not fund any of the enhancements." She said that she does not begrudge the children, teachers, or the schools of our sister system, but if the Chapel Hill-Carrboro system is discouraged with the funds to cover 60% of their budget, what should Orange County system's reaction be if they receive funds to cover only 13% of their budget. She feels that we will lose more families to private schools and good teachers to other systems. She cannot condone operating within a construct that places two school systems in the same County at such separate and unequal levels of operation. She said that we must agree to tackle these issues together. She asked the Board of County Commissioners for three things -support of the Orange County school budget in full, creative participation as we examine new ways both systems can achieve their goals, and the Board's voice and leadership to challenge the way DPI impacts our schools. She said that educational excellence must be the reality for every child in Orange County. Note: There were about 10 - 15 children in the audience and some of them had signs. Libbie Hough was holding a little girl while she was talking. Natalie Hough was a young girl who spoke next. She said that she thinks we have the best teachers and we will lose them if they do not have enough pay. She said that if there was not a P. E. teacher, Grady Brown would lose the traditional kickball tournament. She urged the County Commissioners to approve the Orange County school budget in full. Liz Brown said that, thanks to the Commissioners' generosity last year, Grady Brown Elementary did get funding for a Spanish teacher. The year before that, she volunteered to teach Spanish at Grady Brown Elementary. She said that the Commissioners could set the example and