[Southsider2k12]

For those who don't know last night, a new one year teachers contract was ratified by the MCAS Board of Trustees. This included about a 1.5% pay CUT for all teachers in MC based on some cuts in the amount of time required to work outside of the classroom. This is still part of the continuing fall out from the failure of the funding referendum from last November. This is on top of cuts such as the closure of Elston and Niemann, the loss of middle school assistant principals, 10% paycuts for administration, the loss of elementary school coaches and teams, and other staff cuts.

What is interesting is that as another near year has passed, two items have hit the news that tell me there are probably more dark clouds on the horizon for MCAS. #1 The Gary schools may be on the verge of filing bankruptcy, which I believe would be a first in the state of Indiana. #2 the Valpo schools are not only looking for more tax funding, but they might actually see a DOUBLE referendum as they look for money for not only new schools, but also about another $5 million for operations. What does this mean? It means the situation for MCAS is probably going to get worse, and we will be seeing more cuts on the horizon if more revenue isn't found soon. If I had to bet on it, the next two big things that will be gone after are Coolspring school to close, and future retiree benefits will either be slashed or cut out all together. Coolspring close was talked about already if the MCAS couldn't save enough money through outsourcing. The retirement stuff is something that has been done in places like the steel mills and auto plants as those companies have shrunk their payrolls over the last generation or two. For those who want to scoff at me, remember that I was the one who public predicted that Elston would be a top target for closing, when pretty much no one else believed it possible.

I know people are sick of hearing about the referendum and school funding, but this did not end the day the referendum failed. The fallout is still raining down around us, and will continue to do so.

[Jesse B]

I know of quite a few families who have left MCAS this year, taking their $6000/student with them to Chesterton, Westville, Marquette, etc. Why couldn't the CFO and the school board see this coming. A third or fourth school should have been closed instead of only Elston and Nieman. Why not be a little fiscally sound and look at alternatives such as filling up Lake Hills and Pine school. How about using Kreuger or Barker for a large elementary school. You could have filled Elston as the only Jr. High and shut down Nieman, Barker, Kreuger and Coolspring. Why put a bandage on a serious financial wound. The board and the administration need to get serious about the finances. It is going to get worse before it gets better. I have heard rumblings of another referendum too. I assume that will get voted down too if you continue to run the system the same way.

[outsider]

While some of the problems in MCAS are self inflicted, I do believe you cannot discount other outside forces. The referendum not passing certainly did not help. Our state legislative members, current and past governors in the majority party have done almost everything they possibly could to denigrate public schools by passing legislation diverting funds from public education (property tax caps, voucher formula that has public schools pay for private school tuition), limiting transfers into enterprising school systems from other systems, limiting the number of co-curricular activities the state would fund in an operating budget, and more.

Our state legislatures in the majority party and our previous governor have absolutely no respect for teachers. Many state legislatures I have spoken to in the last ten years have no concept of what public education is supposed to be about with many of them having never even set foot in a public school (including mine -Wesco). These legislative members continually make apples to oranges comparisons between public an private school performance and cost per student. These legislatures do not seem to understand that public schools cannot deny anyone enrollment while most private schools do deny enrollment every day to parents of special needs children, high ability kids that need the resources of a public school, and even parents of average kids who desire the many more opportunities that a public school setting has to offer.

To further insult teachers the new evaluation system that rewards teachers a one time bonus of $600 for being exemplary and $400 for being effective with no other increases. Many schools systems have not given teachers raises at all in the last 3-4 years other than COLA increases of less than 1%. Some school systems in this state are negatively evaluating senior teachers because they make too much.

High school graduates considering education as a career are also taking note. Our largest teachers college in Indiana - Ball State - has had an enrollment decrease in education majors of 36% in the last three years. Locally, the number of education majors at Bethel College decreased 42% over the last 2 years, IUSB decreased 57% over the last three years, and St. Mary's College decreased 23% in one year. To fight these decreases our legislature passed a bill allowing anyone with any degree to become a teacher.

I could also go on and on about the states continual involvement in school curriculums, but I need to bed - sorry if any of the above is incoherent.

In summary, I do consider myself to be a conservative, but I agree with very little our "conservative" governors and legislatures have done in regard to public education in the last 7-10 years.