This short article from the Charlotte Observer is full of spectacular chicanery by Cabarrus County school officials. Let’s review.
School districts have been pinched by inadequate funding, explosive student growth, and reductions in class size to keep up with mandates from the state and federal government, the resolution [supporting a $2 billion state bond for school construction] says.
School districts have increased per-pupil spending by 10.1 percent in the last five years, while they have grown by 6.3 percent during the same period. Perhaps it is time to look at spending. And if you do not like the class size mandates, take it up with the governor and the State Board of Education. Why ask for money for something that can be solved without it? I should add that federal mandates are irrelevant here.
I would hope we would get enough from the state (bond) to build an elementary school — at least a school and maybe a school and a half, board chairperson Liz Poole said after the vote. It’s time for the state to step up and help growing school systems like ours to pay for increasing facility needs.
Is the bond really worth it just to build one elementary school? I mean, if you claim that Cabarrus County Schools needs $420 million for school construction, a measly $20 or $30 million would do little to accommodate the purported need. Furthermore, why should the state “step up” when school construction is clearly the responsibility of localities?
See more on this story in Thursday Cabarrus Neighbors section.
I cannot wait.
