Rochester Concerned Taxpayers

What do you feel the purpose of the School Board is? The first thing that comes to mind is that they were elected to follow the wishes of the people who elected them. How wrong you are! Some members of the School Board of the City of Rochester do not feel that it is their responsibility whatsoever to answer to the taxpayers of this City.

The School Board and the Superintendent’s office keep a level of “secrecy” and do not function in “the best interest” of the student. This is a fact that has been around for many years. Yet, like sheep, we continue to believe in what they say and re-elect them. What is wrong with us? We are facing hard economic times and hard decisions need to be made, but I doubt that the majority of this School Board has what it takes to make an informed decision. The concept of thinking outside the box when proposing budget cuts has been brought up many times, but I, personally, doubt they could find the box they need to think outside of, nor the desire to even look for it.

At a past subcommittee meeting one of our elected members stated that “we” needed to start looking at our underpopulated schools. Whatever happened to that thought? I believe another comment was that it is not the School Board’s responsibility to worry about the City. Really?!? Well it seems that fiscal responsibility and accountability has escaped them as well. The fact is that we have eight elementary schools. Yes, eight schools for 1,888 students (as of December 2009), that should average 236 students per school but that is not how it works. Three schools are underpopulated to the point that Nancy Loud and Maple Street only go up to the 3rd grade and School Street to the 4th. To give you a little history, Maple Street was built in 1931 and renovated in 1964 with a total enrollment of 248 students. Even with changes in class size and teaching methods the School Board keeps this school running for 69 students with a full staff. That is correct, 25 teachers, administrators and support staff for 69 students! Nancy Loud (East Rochester Annex) was retired in 1968 and reopened in approximately 1970. This school houses only 108, a far cry from what it was built for and the same goes for School Street which currently houses 85 students, but was designed to have well over 200 students.

Now the taxpayer has to deal with the Fire Marshall’s report and the taxpayer is going to be expected to pour thousands and thousands of dollars into Maple Street and Nancy Loud to make them “safe” for our children. The time has come to retire them. Consolidating our schools would definitely help the budget. It would cut down on heating, electricity, water and personnel and spread out more resources to the remaining schools by expanding libraries, more computers for the elementary school level and more Smart Boards in classrooms.

Another question all should be asking is if the School Department has not been putting money into the elementary schools, where has that money gone? Most schools suffer from leaking roofs. Maple Street did not even have exit signs and is not sprinkled. Yet, we put our children in that building. There needs to be more accountability regarding the school budget and where the money is going, as it is not going to the infrastructure of the schools. Our money could be better spent if we were trying to spread it over a smaller number of buildings.

Everyone needs to speak up. The School Department is presenting its budget to the City Council on May 11th. Everyone needs to attend and voice their concerns about the condition of our schools, underpopulated schools, and the overall budget itself, all $54+ million dollars worth!

Sue O’Connor
Rochester

This is in response to Nicole Gallagher and Jennifer White.

For starters, no matter how you want to look at it you are and always will be grouped with the Police Department, Fire Department, DPW and Library. You work for the School Department, which is part of the City of Rochester. You are paid by the municipality, making you a municipal employee, hence the public sector. That being said, nobody’s job is any less important or more important than the next person.

Just as a note, I am not comparing apples to oranges; it is more like apples to apples. You stated that teachers should be separated from the police and fire, because teachers are required to have a bachelor’s degree at a minimum to teach and they start their career in substantial financial debt. It was their decision to go to college. Their school loan debit is not the responsibility of the taxpayer. It is the responsibility of the former student. I am currently on the 10-year parent loan program and my daughter is on the 20-year. To avoid this “substantial” debit you could have become a paraprofessional with an associate’s degree and work towards advanced degrees. As part of the teacher’s contract the taxpayer reimburses the teachers for their continuing education and then we turn around and give that teacher yet another raise.

You are obviously narrow-minded when it comes to our Police Officers and Firefighters as they are required to have degrees. All of our Police Officers and Firefighters must have at least an associate’s degree to even get an interview. They are expected to continue on and obtain more advanced degrees. We have many in the Police Department who have their bachelor’s and master’s degrees, yet they do not make as much as a teacher. I have supported the police and spoke before the City Council on their behalf stating that if my taxes go up it best be to support the police and not the School Department.

I see our officers and firefighters doing pretty much the same thing paperwork, working their shifts, coaching for the Recreation Department hours and hours away from their families and most nights their shifts do not end after eight hours. As far as days off for officers, their day off is usually spent in court. You at least get weekends off, holidays, a week in December, February, April and the summer. Police officers and firefighters also work holidays. They are not complaining as they knew this when the chose their career path.

As far as Spaulding High School, I have been their many times, as well as to the tech center, middle school and all the elementary schools. I have also spoken to students and parents of many students from elementary through high school and they do not paint the same rosy picture as you do. So, I have done my leg work and am able to speak the full truth based on what I have observed, the attitude of the administration and my dealings with the School Board. My conscience does not bother me, as I am sure the conscience of the Teachers Union is not bothered either. Teachers have never gone without a raise even during other economic down turns in the past. I have done my research and would be willing to give up time, time I do not have, to show you how to use the microfiche machine at the Rochester Public Library.

Everybody works hard, but for some reason the Teacher’s Union feels they work harder than anybody. You are paid to do a job you are not a “gift” as some city councilors have stated. A “gift” would be free and the payroll for the School Department is anything but “free”. Our School Department; however, is known throughout the state as being the most bloated budget but it just does not seem to be enough and scores are barely moving up. Maybe some day the City Council will take the drastic measures it should have taken years ago and gotten the school budget under control.

It is a known fact that unions are the main cause for municipalities going bankrupt or feeling budget constraints and the biggest union is the Teacher’s Union with all your stipends, steps, COLA, education reimbursement and health insurance made of gold just to name a few.

As far as the mass exodus, there is not much left to say, been there, seen it, been caught in it. For anybody who stays, the City is fortunate.

There are many excellent teachers in this district. Teachers that probably should be paid more, but there are teachers who need to either retire or change professions. Maybe it is time that the Teachers’ Union started policing their own. Bottom line is that teachers do not work all year. They are only required to give the city 180 days of instruction and your job requires you to set up lesson plans, correct papers, research, etc. Coaching is an option. I suppose if you do not like doing any of this consider a change in your profession. So, if this wasn’t such a sad state of affairs it would almost be funny.