FARMINGTON – Barely a half hour into the student-led rally on Main Street, more than 80 people stood with signs encouraging passersby to vote no in tomorrow’s RSU 9 budget referendum.
The contentious budget proposal has gathered a significant amount of attention, with people from both sides organizing efforts to push the issue in their favor. A ‘yes’ vote will move that the budget passes as proposed, cutting $900,000 from the original board-recommended amount, while a ‘no’ vote will send the budget back to the board for further work.
While those in favor of the cuts have voiced their opinion that they are not being heard by board members; many teachers, students and other community members say that the proposed budget won’t meet the needs of the district. More than 80 of those people gathered in front of the post office this afternoon to show their support for RSU9.
“It’s hard not to feel helpless because we can’t vote on an issue that impacts us more than anyone else,” Event organizer River Lisius said.
Lisius is a senior at Mt. Blue High School and helped organize the rally after the results of last week’s board meeting.
“Being at school is a lot more than just sitting at a desk. Teachers inspire us. Programs help us become who we want to be. Schools have a phenomenal impact when it comes to empowering kids,” she said.
Others echoed the opinion.
“Being able to participate in the arts provides a lot of students with the motivation to keep coming to school,” 12-year-old Bridget Reusch said.
Her twin sister agreed, “We should be able to stand up for what we believe in,” Moriah Reusch said.
“People need to understand that sports, music, theater and the arts are what make us, us,” 13-year old Brynne Robbins said.
The growing group of ‘no’ voters spilled past their designated block, ending up stretched out in front of the Pierce House.
“The sports teams haven’t even gotten here yet,” Lisius said.
Many stood in support of the extra-curricular activities at RSU 9. They expressed concern that if tomorrow’s vote passes, board members may have to look at more than just extra-curricular activities as a way to make ends meet.
“Without music and art, I would get bored at school,” First-grader James Wagner said. “I want to have fun at school and I don’t want any more kids in my classroom. Except for my friends.”
Thank you everyone! I encourage folks to vote “NO” and then to work together to create a workable budget without losing the quality education our students deserve. If we join forces and actually figure out legal ways to reduce costs, we can all support the budget. Fundraising, grant writing, and volunteering are just a few ways we all can help. Please be part of the solution!
Congratulations to the students for finding their voices and standing up for themselves. They should be proud. Please vote NO on Tuesday. Education is the future. Remember these kids could be the doctors, nurses, lawyers, bankers, and home health care workers that will look out for you one day. You get what you pay for.
These kids look incredibly under privileged, I remember when I was a kid, I got a job.
These kids need mo money. The Bulldog right there to centerpiece the liberal agenda.
What a joke. Spoiled and then some.
Yeah you!!!
Please note that if you vote YES the budget approved will be the SAME that the school system had last year to spend. That is a fact. It is a pause in the skyrocketing increases of the budgets for the last eight years.
Please vote “NO” on Tuesday. This will enable the school board to develop a new budget that everyone–students, teachers, AND taxpayers–can support.
WE have already spoken and voted NO on two different occasions.
It is time to vote YES and get this budget passed.
No ‘yes’ voters seem to be present. Most likely they are working trying to make ends meet.
If you want art, dancing, music etc….. go for it from private instructors…
Maybe those “Students” should get jobs and pay exorbitant taxes to pay for their own “education”……Maybe their tunes would change……
Why compromise now? The board has already had two chances to do that since the first budget was voted down.
I am voting NO for our community. This budget vote may be the same as last year BUT costs have gone up. Regardless of what the numbers are. The current proposed budget IS too low. All the programs outlined above WILL go away. This means all current high school students will now have a much reduced chance of getting into college. That is a fact. Without sports a lot more kids will not have an opportunity at scholarships which will put college out of reach for others. I can forsee many people fleeing this community to find other districts that do offer these services. This will absolutely devastate the hospital/college and many other institutions. NOONE will want to move in to replace these professional jobs NOONE. A huge part of the tax base will vanish and the local taxes will skyrocket anyways.
Mr. Reid, respectfully, it will not be a pause. It will be an immediate end to music, drama, arts and sports. I do not believe those are the programs of “spoiled” students, but well rounded ones. Education comes in many forms. Textbooks are not the only source. Your “pause” is the elimination of many students reasons for coming to school. This is not a scare tactic, but a reality for my senior and many others. I respectfully ask that you understand that these students are terrified that the things they love most are going to be taken away. What do you think would be the mood and spirit of these students to learn should this happen? I truly respect your opinion. However, I have volunteered, coached and hosted many team dinners at my home over the last seven years. The cuts that WILL happen will be devastating. Not just a pause. A prior post stated people should pay for private. Lessons. That just isn’t a reality for most in our district and everyone knows this. Thank you for reading my post.
It is already very difficult to recruit health care professionals to Farmington. A major selling point when we relocated here was the good school system. First the schools, then the hospital, businesses… Think ahead for your future and the future of this town. And yes we vote “no”and work very hard as well.
So good to see. Get out and vote no. Show our students we value education.
Thank you to all those that were at the rally. I was there in spirit but I could not attend because I had to care for my special needs son who some “yes” voters think should be thrown out with the trash. He and every child in this district deserve an enriched education so they can be all they can be. If we withhold money from our kids education we will be paying so much more later when they cannot get a good job, wind up in jail or worse. Please vote “NO” tomorrow.
As a small business owner and taxpayer in Farmington, I do not understand how people think that having the same budget as last year is feasible.
Just simple costs, such as fuel and oil that are considerably higher right now makes lasts year’s budget not a real option.
I see comments from people such as glen, captain planet, Fred, bill reid, etc against any increases. So did you not get these programs when you were in school? I graduated over 30 years ago and still had these programs offered to me. So were they available and you just chose not to use them? Probably.
You think that not funding our schools will help us. How is that possible? You bash the teachers and the admin and for what reason? Your own misguided misconception of what they make and how easy their job is. That they don’t work the hours we have to, but make great money.
Wrong on all counts! I have had the privilege of getting to know a teacher and many of their colleagues over the past decade and have never in my lifetime met more dedicated professionals who work endless hours, even during the summer, with only the education of our children on their minds. They spend $100’s in their own money to help achieve this and get very little thanks.
I for one, would rather have an educated workforce and leaders in our future and am willing to pay a little more now so that it benefits us all later!
The rally today went from 3-6pm. I worked a full day, and then attended after because it was important to me. We have to give up this notion that people who come together for something that is important to them must not have a job.
@ Tired and Skeptical . My children were there they worked full time this summer and work al the hours the law permits during the school year. They go to school , they participate in extra curricular activities and have dreams. I have two other children that have graduated from MT Blue and attended college. They both came back to Farmington and are productive tax paying members of our great community. My children are not entitled or spoiled. They are hard working citizen that have voices and dreams that they will fight for. Thank you and have a great day.
Let’s focus on a solution and stop the name calling . Negativity doesn’t solve anything.
According to the Maine DOE website for the 2013-14 school year, Mt. Blue High School was found to have only 35.6% of those tested to be AT or ABOVE the standard for Math. 44.8% were AT or ABOVE the standard in Reading. 64.4% of the students tested were below the standard in Math. 55.2% were below in Reading. Can’t find more reliable, recent numbers, but barring a dramatic improvement, I can’t imagine things have gotten better in recent years.
Now, let’s transfer this into other areas of life. Would you pay a car mechanic that only did 35.6% of the job well while 64.6% of the job was below standard? How about a general contractor that built 44.8% of your house well, but left 55.2% in poor condition? Imagine that you were willing to go back to them only to find that the rates went up, but not the outcome.
I’ll be voting yes for a variety of reasons. If sports, band, orchestra, theater are cut, so be it. It just might be that these kids will learn some valuable life lessons. Things often don’t go as you want, gotta learn to live with that. And there are a lot of worse things going on in this world than the loss of sports, band, orchestra, and theater.
Hi, I’m River Lisius, the organizer of the event. I would just like to add that the total headcount of people who “signed in” today reached over 300 people, many of which were kids. It really is about students, and any one on us will tell you that. Thanks to all who showed up.
@Captain Planet
‘Yes’ voters were there, they were just drowned out by all us ‘No’ voters then eventually went away, sadly.
These students deserve all the programs available in this district. It will be devastating to lose them as it will be more difficult to rebuild from such a horrible loss. One of the reasons why we cannot maintain the budget on the same level as last years is because we are mandated by law to provide services identified to all special needs students, that is not something we can choose or not choose to do. There is no flexibility in that area, unless you want to open up the schools for lawsuits and we’ve already been down that road before. We can’t afford to do that again. So by flat funding that area, the board will be forced to take more out of other areas to make up for that loss in Special Education Services. That’s why this whole Flat Funding is a bad idea. It will force them to cut where it will hurt the most.
The school board also does not have the authority to reduce teacher salary without going through the LEA and the teacher contracts. People need to stop thinking it’s as easy as telling the School Board to reduce Teacher Salary.
These children are doing amazing things in this district and I encourage every one of you to visit the schools in your area and see what they are doing and while you are at it, look who is working behind the scenes, not just the teachers but the entire staff. We have some great teachers, Ed Techs, Custodians, Bus Drivers, Secretaries, Lunch Servers, and admins here in this district, don’t throw that away for a few measly dollars. We need to invest in education more, not less.
Vote NO!
@Captain Planet – Once again insinuating that those who will VOTE NO do not work. What an ignorant comment. Nice try. This was organized by high school students and it ran til 6pm. In fact, it was still going on as this VOTE NO worker wrapped up another 12-hour workday. Working People VOTE NO.
Thank you to the students and families today, and to all who have spoken. I, and many others, have listened to each and every comment.
Please vote NO. The board is ready and willing to take another look and rework the budget. I am certain the administration is also. Please, let’s avoid the extreme devastating cuts which will affect all our students.
Voting NO leaves open the option for a compromise.
I believe the student organizers of todays protest did a great job organizing and running the demonstration. Smiling faces, supportive parents, and peacefully demonstrating for what they believe in. Congratulations!
I will be voting NO tomorrow, and hope a large majority of voters agree, these cuts are too deep and too late to plan for in this school year. As other NO voters have said, I have been working now for many years, having started paying social security taxes 43 years ago.
I have been blessed to see the successes of many Mt Blue students in careers, college and the military, and wish our students continued success. After seeing the demonstrating students today, I know many successes will be realized in their future.
To all of the people that live in this community and vote yes: you went to high school correct? You probably played sports or did music, or any other extracurricular activities. If you didn’t well you missed out on some of the best memories you would have made. And of course things have changed since you were in high school, prices are rising, it’s not the same economy it used to be. So obviously the school needs a little more help. I am a student at MBHS, going into my senior year. I have played sports since the age of 5. I have learned more life lessons with my sports teams then I will learn anywhere else. I have played a musical instrument since 3rd grade, and that is an incredible skill that all children should learn. You, along with every other working citizen in the town had to get your knowledge from somewhere. You had the opportunity to strive for success with everyone helping you to have the opportunity to reach your goals. And it just blows my mind that you want to defund schools, life is not just about a 9-5 job, or a 7-2 school day. There is more to life than living like a robot. And to the people that have the mindset that we 18 and under people should just be working and going to school, let me tell you this. There is not ONE person I know that I go to school with that does not have a job. NOT ONE. I have spend the last 3 summers of my life working 40+ hours a week. Saving money so I can go to college, saving money that I will have to pay for what my scholarships from SPORTS do not cover. So I can go to college and maybe one day be the doctor that saves your life, or the teacher that teaches your grandchildren/children. Or maybe even the cop that pulls over the drunk driver that could have killed your family. MBHS students need your support, we need funding. We are the future.
I bought my house in New Sharon because I wanted my children to be in SAD 9. I brought a professional income to the area and paid lots and lots of taxes. My property taxes on the new house were $1,300 in 2003 (RSU 9 portion in the 40%s). In 2006/2007 New Sharon had a Re-valuation of property taxes and my taxes more than doubled to $2,900 (RSU 9 portion less than 30%). Over the course of the next ten years it increased by $1,100 to $4000 (48%? RSU 9) in 2016. My vote will have NOTHING to do with my property taxes. This is about preparing young people, the young people of this community, to be productive members of society. This budget will not do that.
Fourteen years ago my husband and I made the decision to move to Maine. The decision came following summer visits in 2000 and 2001 to my mother-in-law’s farm in Dixfield. I saw my two young daughters running around barefoot in fields, picking blueberries on Center Hill, feeding the chickens, getting tractor rides from their uncles during haying, swimming in the river and Webb Lake, and helping their Grandma milk the cows. At that time we lived in the San Francisco Bay Area where we had three million close neighbors in a State with a total population of 34 million. My children’s experiences over those two summer visits made me realize THIS is what I wanted for my children or as the sign said as we drove into Maine: The Way Life Should Be.
I made the right decision. Fourteen years later I have a scientist-violist daughter who just graduated from UMaine Orono and a scientist-cellist daughter in her second year at College of the Atlantic studying biology and music. They are fine young women and they are a product of our parenting and this community. And I have no doubt whatsoever that this school system prepared them to take on the world. They know this and it’s why they are grateful to Mount Blue. They were honor students, athletes, musicians, and artists. They did it all and they thrived. All students need that chance and that environment.
I will be voting NO so we can go back to the drawing board.
Hi, I’m Zoe Huish, a senior at Mt. Blue High School, and I attended the event at the Post Office this evening. As a member of the soccer team, cross country skiing team, Rotary International (Interact), Franklin County Fiddlers, orchestra, National Honor Society and Student Council I can say with absolute confidence that these activities make me who I am, along wth many others like me. Being involved in my community and school has always been a significant part of my childhood and without these clubs and teams, school wouldn’t be “school” anymore. High School education is so much more than calculus or grammar, it’s learning how to work with all kinds of people, learning how to collaborate with a team, learning how to accept loses and move on from them, learning how to build solid relationships, and learning how to apply knowledge you’ve learned in class to the real world. There are so many student athletes in our district that go to school for the sole purpose of being able to participate in sports. Taking that away from them would mean taking potential college enrollment away from them. My peers and I are the future of this world, like it or not. Would you like to see this nation fall apart just because you don’t want to pay taxes?
It is nice to see the community coming together to save our school. It’s also great to see our young people active in a positive way.
One note – this budget would NOT be a pause. It would not be the same as last year. Increased costs and mandated spending mean we have to spend more. If this budget passes, there will be painful cuts.
I want to commend all of the parents, teachers, empty nesters and students for the positive energy, factual presentations separating the facts from myths, organizing rallies and urging people to vote NO and stand up for the future of our children and the future and health of our communities. I am voting NO. I encourage any undecided voters to consider what tragic effects would sink into the student population, faculty, staff, and communities and vote NO. I pray that many of the past No-now Yes voters will consider the facts, and move past the myths and vote NO.
It will be noted what kind of compromise results if the budget returns to the administration and board. It should also be mentioned here that fuel prices ie. diesel, propane, heating fuels were locked in when prices were lowest this summer. They won’t go up! How many new special needs students are in place since last year that the district is mandated to serve? Why weren’t compromises offered in previous years when asked for ? LAST AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANT, HAVE ANY OF YOU STUDENTS EVER OFFERED A PUBLIC THANKS TO ALL THE TAXPAYERS THAT SUPPORTED YOUR SCHOOLS AND PROGRAMS IN THE PAST???
Humbled by the initiative of those students who exercised their voices in the service of their community and my vocation. Thank you, River, and to all of those students and families who expressed their support for continued excellence.
These are students I have witnessed donate to charity, perform at benefits to serve families and community organizations in need, raise much needed food for local food banks, and travel to other communities in need beyond our borders. The faces I see in these pictures and across social media are of students with empathy and kindness whose actions and deeds may not always find their way into the comment sections of the Bulldog or get spoken at budget or select board meetings, but I hear their stories.
And if you know me and you trust me, you know I have no reason to exaggerate or bend this truth.
Bill Reid, for a man I have long respected for your numerous talents and gift for oratory, I am deeply troubled by your insistence that flat funding a budget is not cutting the budget. You served on the SAD 9/RSU 9 school board for years. You know full well that FLAT FUNDING means the district will not have enough money to cover in-good-faith negotiated labor contracts (teacher, administrator, support staff), will not have enough funding to address state and federally mandated costs, and will not have enough funding to address any raise in fixed costs (fuel, heat, electric, etc.) This amounts to a district needing to cut the previous budget spending lines to account for those legally binding and fixed costs.
You know this.
I applaud you for being a gentleman of enough conviction to own your words, to speak your voice in public, and were I resident of this school district that I love, you know that I would have been standing there in those meetings, owning my position as well.
You and I may certainly agree to disagree about whether or not it takes a school district to bankrupt a village, but we should at least be able to agree that school financing doesn’t work like a small business plan or a home budget plan. There are too many complications at the state and federal levels for those comparisons to work out. I wouldn’t expect a single forge blacksmith to operate his business like a hundred-worker foundry, or a small state university campus professor to conduct courses as though he had an army of teaching assistant grad students to bear the brunt of the study group and grading.
Scale matters. Costs matter.
You know this.
Just as you know that flat funding the 17-18 budget at 16-17 will necessitate dramatic cuts to keep our schools in federally mandated compliance and will cause massive disruptions.
You don’t need a lecture from me.
For that matter, neither does anyone else who has ever trusted me. It’s time for a compromise, not a political statement.
Please, devoted readers of the Bulldog comments section, VOTE NO. Let’s get this right, rather than just get a win.
I am a New Sharon resistent . My three children graduated from Mt Blue. They were all well rounded students participated in Sports, Music, Theatre, Art, the Tech Center, National Honer Society, They are far from spoiled and had various jobs throughout their high school years. They were always taught to show and practice kindness and compassion to all people….even if you disagree. They all recieved support love and recognition from their community which has aided in their successes both musically and academically. All 3 are contributing members of society, 2 have college degrees and the third continues in her second year. So, now I will Speak To ALL VOTERS..Of All ages … We All started much of our learning as infants and toddlers with songs, drawings and Social activity….. So be it…Art , Music and Community…..NEXT came letters and numbers…. So be it…Education!
Creativity and Music stimulate the brain making it easier to learn!! I am convinced that the yes votes come from misguided information….anger created ignorance. We have so much at stake to loose.. And in the long run additional funding.., VOTE NO! On TUESDAY!
What Scott Erb has written make little sense. He seems to say it is impossible, that’s right, impossible, to hold the budget steady with the same years spending as last year’s. If we vote YES tomorrow we’ll have done exactly that! If he is right we are all doomed to having massive yearly increases. Notice, the budgets for the last eight years have ballooned with a ten million dollar plus increase. If he’s right we’ll see million dollar increases for years into the future. But we can vote YES tomorrow and hold the spending steady for one year. The scare tactics from the NO promoters are embarrassing. For fiscal sanity’s sake vote YES.
Woodsman makes some excellent points above.
No, Bill, I’m saying that increased costs mean that a “steady” b- ouudget will have to make real cuts elsewhere. I’d have you notice that what we ask of taxpayers is LESS than before – $540,000 in the last two years. The state realizes that the mandates and required spending as increased, so we’re getting reimbursements and more state funds. That’s because we’re forced to spend more mandated money. So going to a “flat” budget means real, massive cuts. This is clear in what has been posted in numerous places. So your claim it makes “little sense” shows only you’re not reading what is out there.
Russell Black, Lance Harvell, Tom Saviello, as our elected officials, please let us know before tomorrow’s vote where you stand on the most divisive issue to face your constituents in memory. Where do you stand on the RSU9 Budget and why?
Not once was the word compromise offered in all the student comments, only the DEMAND, that they get what they want, at any cost. No suggestions of ways to cut costs are discussed. Only DEMANDS and the suggestion that no limits should be expected in the future budgets.
@ Woodsman I wonder did you publicly thank the taxpayers when you were a child in school????
@Mainer If you want tests scores to go up, I suggest working WITH the schools instead of being so combative against them. Learning begins at home. I know countless stories of children being unprepared when they arrive at school, and teachers have to try to play catch up.
Children need parents to makes sure they have the skills to learn such as knowing their A,B,C’s and numbers, in addition to having breakfast,supplies, and someone to help with homework. I have literally heard parents say “well it’s the schools job…they get all this money”, and do nothing.
This is a team effort, and until parents do their fair share of the lifting, scores will not improve.
As for eliminating art,music, sports, that’s a bad idea. Having children that are well rounded is exactly how our kids get into good colleges and tech schools.
Support your schools!
This all seems so inflated to say that shouldn’t people be allowed to vote how they feel passionate about. I have lived in Franklin County all my life, and have fellow Mt. Blue Graduates around the world that are being “productive members of communities”, and whether its Farmington Weld New Sharon Wilton and all the other towns … People need to vote with what their hearts tell them. Students, Teachers, Parents, Business owners, etc. look at what they want, ascertain what the numbers mean, let others impact them. I have always been taught, not in Mt. Blue education, but from my parents to see there are multiple sides to any decision we make in life. The opinions stated here are based on personal opinions and facts, can’t voters believe in their heart and minds now, and follow them where they may lead. Everyone has had time to present, vent, and persuade other … now is time to see where the truth is as a community, we live in.
Woodsman – you seriously want to be thanked for paying your taxes?? Huh. Very odd.
Woodsman: The Rsu 9 budget proposal went from a ZERO local increase to a 2 % local tax decrease…then came the last round of drastic cuts to the request…..the amount cut more than doubled the RSU 9 board recommended cut. What kind of compromise was that? And after the school year started?
Please vote NO today, and meet to compromise, not “Teach those people a lesson”
Woodsman: The Rsu 9 budget proposal went from a ZERO local increase to a 2 % local tax decrease…then came the last round of drastic cuts to the request…..the amount cut more than doubled the RSU 9 board recommended cut. What kind of compromise was that? And after the school year started?
Please vote NO today, and meet to compromise, not “Teach those people a lesson”
I saw multiple quotes from the cut the budget group, about not cutting special education…then they cut special education…such for compromise?
Tom listen to wktj and you can hear Tom Saviello give his stance. Its in fact the same as the school board and students.
You don’t often see anyone giving public thanks for the public education they receive. Now or in the past. Because funding tha y public education is our duty as citizens and funding it well is the best way to promote a better future.
I sincerely hope that Franklin County community will go out and vote today, and their vote will be NO. I spent more than two thirds of my life in the classroom: first as a student and then as an educator. It really hurts to read some of these comments such as: ” these students are not publicly thankful??? How so? The entire community benefits from sport events, marvelous concerts, theatre performances and art exhibits that are initiated in programs with dollars we contribute trough our taxes. These events and these kids are well known and appreciated beyond Maine borders. Do we expect them to get down on their knees and thank us? Please!
Let me make clear that my children did not attend this school. However, I DO support these youngsters, and wish them good luck.
Thank you.
For me a yes vote is not about taxes. It’s about stopping the precedent of the million dollar budget increase each year. Unless the school board is stopped by the voters, they will not stop on their own.
My last comment shows why people my age shouldn’t try to post from their phone. So many little errors!
But Bill, it is impossible to hold the budget steady when costs are increasing and mandatory spending rises. That’s the point you seem not to understand – we have higher expenses we must pay, so a “flat” budget means large painful cuts.
I don’t know why you don’t understand that – it’s been explained, the numbers have been provided, numerous times. There are no “scare tactics” – this is reality. You are free to be in denial of reality, but if it wins at the polls that denial will hurt a lot of our children.
Many farmers are looking for part time help. While these children can’t vote, they can get part time work and see the deductions on their check stubs that helps them get the education they need.
@Mizer – Clearly, you haven’t received a pay stub in any recent time. There is no line item that says, “School District Deduction.” And why on earth would any area high school kid want to work part-time for any local farmer or any local business who got up at the mic at the budget meeting and spoke out against their educational needs? Oh, and some of those school children (HS seniors who have turned 18) can vote and will VOTE NO.
The best education these children can get is to allow school vouchers and parents can send them to great schools, but that would be against the teachers union. Don’t be fooled, there are some great teachers but most are there to get as much money as they can and have summers off!
I find it interesting how so many “Yes” voters attack and belittle the process and the school board while hiding behind a pseudonym. I cannot respect anyone’s opinion that belittles and attacks from the shadows. While I disagree with the yes voters I commend those that use their real name and are not afraid to express their views.. However there is no cause for the vicious attacks that some well known people have made. There is no excuse to vandalize and remove NO signs. There is no excuse to behave like a pack of rabid dingos. Lets vote NO and have a reasonable discussion about the issues and discuss the TRUTHS AND REALITIES of what out taxes are and where they go. Blatantly ignoring the facts and drinking the Kool-Aid without thinking on your own is not a respectable option. Thank you for voting NO
Proud of the students!
Someone said not once did they ask they demanded, during the adult conversations, I have seen and heard name calling and personal attacks. Maybe we should increase the budget and re-educate some adults.
To those voting yes, think about pay freezes in your household. Increase in utilities, oil, and gas prices are rising. With rising gas prices, food prices and other essential food prices will go up. You work on a flat budget, what are you cutting? We may have not needed the huge increase, but we do not need the flat fund either.
Blame the school for low levels?Blame the parents and the community. Facaulty have no control. Child wants to get up and leave? It is ok, because they needed a break to collect themselves. Many students do not show respect, but parents expect the faculty to babysit, be punched, spit at and sometimes threatened. When a child is disciplined they are accused of “picking on my child”. You people can’t have it both ways, teach my child, but don’t force them, don’t challenge them and make things to hard. No, not all parents are like this and yes some students want to learn. But look at yourself, where do you fit in?
Mixer: Many of these children do work, both during the school year and during the summer…..
“Many Americans are tired of explaining things to idiots, particularly when the things in question are so painfully obvious, a new poll indicates.
According to the poll, conducted by the University of Minnesota’s Opinion Research Institute, while millions have been vexed for some time by their failure to explain incredibly basic information to dolts, that frustration has now reached a breaking point.
Of the many obvious things that people are sick and tired of trying to get through the skulls of stupid people, the fact that…” taxes are going DOWN and schools are NOT out of control spenders! Spend five minutes volunteering in a classroom and it will be painfully obvious of the sacrifices, teachers, administrators, students, etc. make to make it through the day.
VOTE NO!!
Larry Labul,
For myself, I choose to not use my name because I am a local business owner. Comments have been made to boycott businesses in which the owner does not agree with what is perceived as the “right” way to vote. I can’t afford that to happen…
Mizer- Have you looked at a teachers annual salary!? Where the heck did you get that idea? Many teachers have to work a second job during the summer, or have another source of income to supplement their livelihood. Trust me. As the son of an educator, I know first hand the sacrifices that are made in these teachers lives, they teach because they have a passion, not to get rich and laze about during the warm months… Please get a grip. This isn’t just scare tactics. If this goes the wrong way tonight, there will be cuts across the board. It will be detrimental to our kids education.
Larry I would have to say theres plenty of pseudonyms on both sides. Vote No just called us idiots, stupid, and dolts.
I agree vote NO!! Shouldn’t sink to such tactics as I said- many adults need to be re-educated. Calling names and belittling people takes away from the message.
Is my data faulty ? Retrieved from the 2015-2016 NCLB REPORT CARD and the MT BLUE RSU9 2017-2018 BUDGET DETAIL documents. Total staff,(not just teaches) wages are about $19,764,000. Total benefits are $5,205,000. (26% avg The instructional avg. is over 30%) The transportation section is49%!!!.The reportcard data indicates that over 50% of students did not meet standards.56% failed math, 25% failed english, and 33% failed science. That’s not very good for about a $26 million investment.
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