Mary Alden of Plainsboro
There has been much written about the West Windsor-Plainsboro school board’s decision to go ahead with the outsourcing of the custodial and maintenance Services within the school district. As a taxpayer I am very concerned about where the money will come from to reach a balanced budget, as mandated by the state. The firing of the staff is suppose to bring it down by $1.5 million but there is no new number as to what the private custodial staff will cost. I am sure it will be a wash or maybe save a couple hundred thousand dollars. This now leaves so much more that needs to be cut.
Parents, there is only so much that they can do before they start to cut or make you pay for the things that your child likes to do. Many school districts in New Jersey have “pay to play” for sports, where you pay to play, you pay for the coaches, the uniforms and the transportation to the games. Clubs will probably have a price to participate. The musicals will be covered by parents for the opportunity of their child to be in it, pay the director and staff, costumes and music. Band and orchestra events in and out of school might be paid by parents — it can go on and on.
I am disappointed that in July of this past year the school board voted for raises for many of the administrators and staff at the board office, when they knew a report of firing the custodians and maintenance workers was going to be put out in August. I am disappointed they did not hold everyone accountable for taking some cuts before hitting the lowest level of paid workers in the district.
I spent 30 years in the Air Force and the best leaders were the ones who lead by example. I think that the administration could do allot to save face and have more support if they gave back their raises and demanded all who got one did the same. They could give back some of their 19 plus holidays, return some of their bereavement days, and vacation days. Until they start to show that this money issue is serious, by giving up their money, then I do not think that the support staff or teachers should be expected to give anything back.
As taxpayers we should demand accountability from the top to the bottom. If they do not act in good faith; we are all voters. We can vote for or against the budget and also whether to replace the school board members that are up for election.
We the taxpayers must hold the school board accountable and should expect our administrators to lead by example; they too, must share in the pain of budgetary cuts.
Mary Alden
Plainsboro
