Guilford County School Board chairman Alan Duncan is right. In a (off-line) "Second Opinion" op-ed in today's N&R, Duncan reminds us what is at stake if our County Commissioners fail to fund next year's school budget as submitted by the school board.
Success of our children: "... we must continue to move forward." At a time when we are seeing great gains in all aspects of the measurable performance of our students, this is not a time to pinch pennies.
Our ability to attract quality teachers: " ...If we allow ourselves to become less competitive with even our closest neighbor, we stand to lose quality teachers." Alan cites the salary disparities we face in competition with Forsyth, Wake and Mecklenburg Counties. Unless our salaries are competitive, many of the best teachers will continue to locate elsewhere. And who can blame them?
Economic growth and development: "...Simply put, supporting our children in our schools is in our own economic self interest." Why Guilford County taxpayers don't get this simple fact is beyond me. Good companies with high paying jobs DEMAND excellent schools as a prerequisite to where they consider opening their doors.
The school board has requested a $14.6M increase in funding for next year. Of that amount, $9.9M is just to stay even with last year due to fixed-cost increases. County Manager Willie Best threw those numbers out the window and is proposing a $7.6M increase for the schools next year.
We cannot allow this to stand. Due to an additional 1500 students enrolled next year, rising energy costs, and state mandated (but meager) salary increases, the county manager's recommended budget actually represents a real-world CUT in funding for our schools.
If we want excellent schools, excellent teachers and the excellent economic development that naturally flows from possessing the best schools in the state, cutting school funding is the absolute worst way to achieve these ends. No matter which side of the aisle you come down on, good education must be one your highest priorities.
Get the politics right on this. A vote for cutting school funding as proposed by Best is a vote against economic development for Guilford County.
8:33:09 AM 
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