ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, April 20, 1997 TAG: 9704210010
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
COLUMN: guest column
SOURCE: BETTY WHITLEY
During the past few weeks, we have watched the deliberations by the Radford City Council and the City School Board over the proposed school budget.
Over the years, the Radford Education Association may have taken issue with council and School Board members about a particular policy or a spending plan, but we have never doubted that their motivation was grounded in what they thought was best for our schools. Our belief in that sincerity has not changed.
However, we are concerned about the tone and the potential impact of the most recent work by the two boards. It is time for someone to step forward with a frank opinion. We do this to promote only one agenda - the welfare of Radford's school children.
Far too much of what passes for political debate in our country comes across as petty and opportunistic. Rancor between factions takes place at the expense of the public's business.
Unlike controversies that our city has seen in the past, the recent exchanges between these two boards has assumed an unsettling tone. When approached individually, officials are quick to point out that their actions are rooted in the unreasonable behavior of the other board. They point to proposed expenditures of the School Board or broken commitments of City Council or blunt statements from members on both boards as reason for failing to reach a reasonable compromise on the school budget. This "he said/she said" positioning is a luxury our schools cannot afford.
If limited funding requires that school employee raises have to be limited to 2 percent, we are disappointed, but so be it. However, to make up for a shortfall of more than $400,000, the School Board has adopted additional cuts that will seriously affect our students.
We face an ambitious state-mandated testing program, yet the position of testing coordinator has been cut. We are losing new positions for teacher assistants when they are desperately needed to provide the extra time teachers need to meet students' individual needs. We are losing half of a student materials budget that was already too low. The list goes on.
It would be different if this "crunch" were due to a serious financial shortfall. But it is not. Whether it's paving for a parking lot or an increase in the School Board's stipend, it is time to put matters on the table and arrive at a compromise without jeopardizing the rest of the budget. In the public eye, none of these factors is important enough to risk one child's education.
As teachers, we make dozens of compromises and cut corners each day to make our time and resources fit the daunting job of educating the children of our community. We cannot afford to do more without risking the integrity of a school system that we all agree is among the best in Virginia.
We appeal to the board and council members to step back, take a deep breath, and resume the budget process in a statesmanlike manner.
Radford Education Association
Betty Whitley, president.
Whitley teaches first grade at McHarg Elementary School. The association includes 95 percent of the Radford school teachers.
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