Articles on the school budget and the school board forums eliciting opinions from residents generated the most online comments at www.wwpinfo.com — 73 comments in all as the current issue went to press.
The online posts offered many suggestions for cutting the budget:
“Reduce administrative staff; reduce number of assistant superintendents; reduce number of assistant principals; reduce number of paid sick days from 20 to something reasonable, say, 10; eliminate the practice of carrying over and cashing in paid sick days; ask everyone employed by the district to contribute to their own benefits, especially highly paid assistant superintendents,” suggested one.
The perception that sick days could accrue over time bothered several readers. “Vacation days should be use them or lose them. The department has to manage itself around the staffing levels. But you left me speechless on the sick day issue. Sick days are for when you’re sick. Sick days are not a piggy bank. They’re supposed to be there as a safety net. This is taxpayer money, and this issue rightfully deserves scrutiny.”
At least two online comments voiced support for the teachers:
“Keep educators and teacher aides — as the most important values.” But consider cuts in other areas, “especially district administration and office staff. Get rid of the PR position. And 41 principals — for how many schools?”
Wrote another: “You NJEA bashers are fools — get the facts straight. First of all the NJEA has nothing to do with local (WW-P) distracts contracts, benefits, or salaries. Your local school districts and school boards make that call. Any idea why property values are so high in NJ compared to other parts of our country, and why people are willing to live here and pay high taxes? The same reason I do, My two children get one of the best educations in the country. Every dime I pay in school taxes is worth it! I look at it as an investment in my children’s future!”
Several comments mentioned the futility of voicing opinions online, before people who seemingly have already made up their minds. “It looks like everyone has a suggestion to the school board and administration how to reduce the budget. It’s time to put your time where your mouth is and attend one of these forums,” wrote one reader. “If all you want is to vent anonymously on a web post nothing is going to change.”
The WW-P News received one suggestion for a future story: “When will the News do a story on how former janitors and maintenance workers and their families are doing since they were cut by WW-P Board last year? Who’s going to get cut this year and how will the News cover the fallout on their families, let alone our students?
“Speaking of students, when will we see what they think should be done with the budget? High School North kids did a great protest last year in favor of keeping the janitors. Youth movements have great power, so let’s hear more student voices challenging the entrenched school board and administrative folks.”
Want your opinion to reach a wider audience? E-mail our editor: Rein@wwpinfo.com. Signed letters will be considered for our print edition.
