Hire another Bedford School administrator while in deficit?

[KeepItPositive]

Just to respond to your comment that parents want 2 cops in the schools.  Apparently they don't care because feedback from the folks trying to raise money has indicated very very few parents have contributed to their fund.  And that most of the money other than a couple of fund raisers has come from businesses in Bedford.  I don't have kids in school and sent $100 because I though it was a worthy community cause.  Over a 6 month time frame all it would have taken from families with kids in school was to forgo a 12 pac of whatever or a couple packs of smokes and send it to the ladies running the fund.  On the other hand I get feedback that parents are tired of getting nickled and dimmed by the school sys.

STB I don't have access to that information and you might be right about the source of the donations.  However the fact that many parents did not donate did not mean they did not support the cause.  It could possibly be because the community seems to have a growing distrust for the school system.  How many times in the past few years did the district "find" money that helped them through the immediate crisis at the time?  My point was, based on comments on this forum, as well as the newspapers and social media networks - parents really seemed to support the concept of keeping 2 police officers in school - instead of adding additional administrators or spending money on superintendent searches, and other administrative waste.

[StopTheBurning]

KIP i think you are right.  Parents support it but don't like the way the school seems to find money for the stuff they really want to do.  I did read the comment here about the lack of community support for the fund.

[a2zaw4]

Okay I have had it, this non sense about getting rid of one of two of our SRO (School Resource Officers), my madness is fueled with the recent article about how Bedford BOE is going to review this on Thursday, good riddance as I will be out of town, otherwise I would be making by voice heard. no worries I am calling the superintendents office in the AM, and also to a Trustee of Bedford! Yeah I know Jon is not going to be happy with me, but this is getting beyond ridiculous! The BOE expects ONE SRO (School Resource Officer) to maintain ALL the buildings within the district while the district has 4 Principles in the HIGH school, and 3 in the Junior High, which 5 of them are ASSISTANTS, but ONE SRO is expected to provide support to EIGHT buildings? The district CANNOT afford to loose a SRO, especially when they are so intent in keeping the LIMO's and all the Administrators that have been brought in to the Jr and Sr High!

Make Your voice heard....

[J Hoffa]

It wasn't that long ago that we were pouring out significant dollars while the Bedford Education Association was delaying the inevidible on their insurance.  KeepItPositive shared some insight on this.

As Quoted from KeepItPositive
http://www.monroetalks.com/bnforum/index.php/topic,1381.msg18313.html#msg18313

"But the bottom line is this - IF the teachers would have agreed to start paying a fair share of insurance costs back in July of 2010 (when the contract expired) the school district would not be facing this additional 2.4 Million dollar deficit.  The delay tactics of the Bedford Education Association and MEA have cost taxpayers approximately $100,000.00 a month (in what is the teacher's out-of-pocket percentage of their health insurance) along the way.   The teachers will now join the rest of us and begin to pay their fair share."


Wouldn't it be great if some of those dollars were available now for the resource officer.  I guess resource officers are not members of BEA are they.

[johnnydollar]

And I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house down.....

The cops are a nice benefit to have, but they are not needed. That is likely true of a few admins as well. Probably some teachers and support staff. I do not envy those on the board, but their job now seems to be cutting rather than pruning. Don't call the school board, contact the do-nothings in Lansing, or better yet stop voting the same people into state government that are forcing the cuts on the school districts. Ask them why Yipsi and Detroit get thousands more per student from the state than Bedford. Instead of giving $400,000 to the DDC per year to build parks and sidewalks that no one uses, send it to the schools.

[StopTheBurning]

Some teachers I know are ok with eliminating one cop.  They are satisfied with the additional principals in the JH Hi and HS.   They think they do a good job.  But they emphasised the principals need to be out and about and make their presence know.  Some like to hide in their offices all day.  But the kids seem to have more respect for the cops than they do the principals.  This is only from a hand full of teachers that i know of, not the majority.

[KeepItPositive]

A2zaw4 - I'm sure the deputies appreciate your support and calls to Mr. White, but I believe it is too late.

JHoffa you are correct, the resource officers are not part of the BEA, they are part of the sheriff's department and of the deputy's union.

JohnnyD - it is our right and duty to complain to our school board when they make decisions that are not in the best interest of the students.  Yes, I have called Lansing in the past (Angerer, Olson, Zorn and Richardville) but it takes more than a few people calling...it takes an entire community or county to get through to them. 

[StopTheBurning]

Tonight was the final final final decision in terminating one of the officers.  But why is Ms Smith always excused from the meetings when there are tough issues to decide?  If she can't handle it get off the board.

[a2zaw4]

So STB does this mean that they approved the release of the one SRO (School Resource Officer)?

[Amy Driehorst]

Yes, they voted tonight to terminate the contract with the county for the 2nd liaison officer. His last day with the district was today.

[StopTheBurning]

It bothers me that a board member, Shawna Smith seems to find ways to excuse herself from board meetings when there are tough issues to decide.  She has missed the last two on the vote for eliminating a resource officer.
The board needs to state why she isn't there.  This is a public board and she is voted into the position by the residents.  We need to know why she isn't involved and if she isn't willing to share it then she should resign.