THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT  
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Thursday, November 23, 1995            TAG: 9511230017
SECTION: FRONT                    PAGE: A18  EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Letter 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   40 lines

WHO'S RESPONSIBILE FOR SCHOOL DEFICIT?

The biggest fear I have about the school-budget deficit in Virginia Beach is that students and teachers will have to pay the price with crowded classrooms and fewer supplies. These are not the folks responsible for the deficit.

Highly paid (though not necessarily highly skilled) administrators in the big brick building at the Municipal Center are responsible for planning and budgeting. If these administrators have demonstrated they cannot do the job, take action. If they have embezzled, take action. Who did or didn't do the job?

It would be quite informational to see an administrative-assignment chart with names, salaries and job duties for every person at the school-administration building. The newspaper might do a real community service by publishing such a chart.

Are school administrators so arrogant they don't have to answer inquiries? In large corporations, when management has not met the bottom line or a large budget overrun is foreseen at the year's end, top staff is fired to at least save the high salary costs. Who needs them anyway, since they obviously haven't done the job and in fact have jeopardized Virginia Beach students, teachers, citizens and other city employees?

The schools' shortfall may mean reduced budgets in other city departments that have already reduced their budgets in the name of frugality. It may mean a hiring freeze for city departments that will go without needed staff so the incompetents at the school administration will keep their jobs.

Citizens can hope the culprits will be discovered and that the less powerful employees and students will not pay the price.

JACK NASH

Virginia Beach, Nov. 8, 1995 by CNB