I’m confused.
For a couple of months parents in Upper Darby have been up in arms over a proposed budget and realignment plan in the school district that called for drastic cuts.
The board, looking at a $13 million deficit, but an acute $3 million in red ink, was looking to cut more than 50 teaching positions, and raising taxes at the same time.
But what was really stuck in the craw of parents and education activists was a “realignment plan” that called for elminiation of special classes in arts and music in elementary schools, and tech and language in the middle schools. Phys ed and library also were on the chopping block.
But over the weekend school administrators announced that those special classes were being restored after money – much of it from Harrisburg - was put back into the budget.
I thought there would be a lot of happy faces at the school board meeting last night where the board signed off on their final budget. Read that story here.
Uh, not exactly.
The board is still playing it pretty close to the best, because while they have reason to believe the money is coming, the budget has not yet been finalized in Harrisburg.
I got an inkling of what might be going on in an email yesterday from state Rep. Nick Micozzie, R-163, who has been working on this crisis now for weeks.
Micozzie was among the Delco legislators who was key in getting more money for the district, including $725,000 in accountability block grant funds, and $2.5 million from the Distressed School funds.
But as Micozzie pointed out, while he can get the money for the district, he has no say over just how the board spends it.
I am hoping that this is just a matter of all the budgets being formally passed, and everyone wanting to cross all their t’s and dot all their I’s.
Unless I’m missing something. Unless parents believe that the district is not going to move ahead with their stated plan.
Last night they made it clear to the board that although it appears the special classes are being saved, they still don’t like the fact that the realignment plan will remain in place, and library classes remain on the hit list.
We will once again delve into this hot issue tonight on our ‘Live From the Newsroom’ live-stream Internet broadcast.
I’ll be joined by two parents, Rachel Ruitberg and Carolyn Caron, who have been very vocal in their opposition to the district’s plans. We’ll also be joined by Rep. Micozzie, who we will chat with by phone from Harrisburg, where he continues to work on the state budget.
If you have a question you’d like asked of either the parents or Rep. Micozzie, email it to me at editor@delcotimes.com and we’ll put it to the panel tonight.
Regrettably, no one from the district administration or school board would agree to come on with us tonight.
We’ll be ‘Live’ tonight at 7 on DelcoTimes.com. Log in and join our chat.
It’s all about Upper Darby.
Hopefully after tonight I won’t be as confused as I am right now.
For some reason, though, I kind of doubt it.
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