** School officials are considering “eliminating class size reductions” in kindergarten through third grade. That means that instead of one teacher for every 20 students there may be half again as many students crowded into the classroom. Superintendent Rob Gaskill says there may soon be as many as 32 young scholars in a classroom. There is universal agreement that such a change would have profound implications for the education of young students.
** As many as two dozen experienced teachers may be gone by this time next year. The district is offering buyouts to teaching veterans in hopes that their salaries can be applied to younger teachers. Gaskill views it as a method to save jobs but he readily admits the district and students will lose a lot if it loses that kind of experience in the classroom.
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That’s how bad it’s gotten. “Never” has come to local schools, just in time for the holidays.
Something must be done to secure a proper education for our children. We must step back from the brink of “never.”
More than likely, the school board will call for a parcel tax of $125 in the new year. It’s likely to be on the board agenda Jan. 14 and expect the board to authorize the vote at its Feb. 11 meeting. It will happen despite the fact that some on the board have said they would never again go that route after five consecutive parcel tax failures.
Well, “never’s” time has come. Things are that desperate at local schools.
-- Clay Lambert
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